Her Shifter Bodyguard (Shifter World Novella - Book One) (SERIES OF 13 SHORT STORIES)
Chapter Seven: Introducing His Mate

“Sorry,” Shar said, looking at the bar’s owner.

Marry-Beth smiled at her, “it’s alright. It was nice to see someone stand up to that bastard. He’s been on his last leg for weeks now.”

Shar nodded.

“Take your mate to the stage,” Marry-Beth told Dustin. “Introduce her before The Runarounds take the stage.”

Dustin nodded, then led Shar around the corner and toward the stage.

Shar watched Dustin’s brothers stand when they noticed them. Dustin motioned with his hand for them to sit. They sat but didn’t take their eyes off her.

Dustin led Shar onto the stage and tapped the mic. “Excuse me, may I have your attention, please?”

The room went quiet, and everyone turned to Dustin and the human on the stage with him.

Dustin smiled down at Shar. Shar felt her cheeks turn a bright red.

“I would like to introduce everyone to my mate, Sharissa Flemmings,” Dustin said, taking hold of Shar’s hand.

Everyone in the room stared at them.

Dustin turned to the crowd and held his and Shar’s arms up in the air. Shar saw their marks shimmer in the lighting and took in a breath.

“My Fated mate,” he said with a wide grin.

A murmur flowed through the bar, then one, two, three shifters stood and started clapping. Soon, the entire bar was on their feet, clapping and shouting. It has been too long since a shifter found their True Mate.

Dustin grinned down at Shar, and she smiled up at him. He turned back to the mic as if something else had come to him.

“And the stories are true.” He gave the crowd a wicked grin. “The Fated mate bond strengthens the shifter and passes our abilities to our human mate. If you don’t believe me, ask the shifter whose wrist my mate just broke for manhandling her.”

The place became quiet, and Shar swallowed. Then the place erupted with laughter. She wasn’t sure if they believed Dustin, but at least they didn’t hate her.

Dustin shook his head and led her off the stage.

“Dusty!”

Dustin turned and smiled. “Sebastian!”

Sebastian clapped his hand on Dustin’s back as the two men embraced.

“So, you found your mate,” Sebastian said as he took a step back and looked Shar up and down.

Dustin grinned as he pulled Shar against his side. “Sure did.”

Sebastian smiled, “a human.” He looked at Dustin. “She’s pretty. Good thing you found her before some other asshole did.”

Dustin nodded and said, “my thoughts exactly.”

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Miss Flemmings,” Sebastian said, holding his hand out to Shar.

Shar smiled and shook his hand.

“Oh, she has our strength,” Sebastian laughed.

“Sorry,” Shar said, pulling her hand away.

Sebastian shook his head, “don’t be. Always show a shifter you can handle yourself.”

She nodded.

“Well, I need to get on stage. Hope to see you again, Sharissa.”

She smiled at him. “You too, Sebastian.”

Dustin led her back to the table where his brothers sat. They returned to their seats and turned to watch The Runarounds.

Dustin smiled as he pulled his mate back against his chest. They sat there, listening to his friend’s band. Tonight has shown him a lot. His mate is brave and strong. If she can handle a shifter, she can handle a human. But he’ll never let her be alone, not until they know that Johnny Vega will never come after her again. Maybe he and his brothers need to have a talk with Mr. Vega.

He could tell that Sharissa was enjoying the music. Maybe he’ll get a CD from Sebastian before he and his band leave.

“What the hell are you doing on the stage, Bensing!? You can’t sing worth shit!”

Dustin looked up and watched as Raj threw something at the stage. When did he get here?

“Fuck you, Cunningham!” Sebastian hollered as he caught the tomato. “Dustin!” he shouted.

Raj and the Kraftman brothers laughed.

“Ah, fuck” Dustin grumbled. Sharissa looked up at him, and he shook his head. “This is normal, Mafilia.”

Shar shook her head as she looked up at Raj. “Sit before you get us banned.”

Raj snorted but did as she said.

Sebastian tossed the fruit back at Raj, who jumped to his feet to catch it, then sat down and took a bite out of the tomato.

“Ladies and gentlemen, that’s what happens when you get your brains smashed too many times on the ice,” Sebastian said, pointing at Raj.

Raj held the tomato up, then took another bite out of it.

Shar looked at the tomato in Raj’s hand and chuckled. “At least he didn’t throw a rotten tomato.”

Dustin chuckled and kissed her cheek.

The Runarounds continued with their song, and Raj sat at their table, grinning, apparently enjoying his friend’s music.

Shar chuckled. She liked Dustin’s friends and family. She’s happy to be a part of them.

“You guys still coming to the home game next week?” Raj asked as he leaned toward Dustin and Shar.

Shar nodded. “Can’t wait to see it.”

“Hope you’re not squeamish,” Raj said with a grin. “Lots of blood and broken bones.”

Dustin laughed at his friend’s words. “You should have seen what she did to a hyena shifter earlier.”

“Oh? Do tell,” Raj said, looking at Shar.

Shar blushed. “He had his hands all over me. And wouldn’t take no for an answer. So, I broke his wrist.”

Raj stared at her for a moment, then broke into laughter. “Sounds like you’ve got you a winner here, Dusty.”

Dustin nodded. “Don’t I know it,” he said, squeezing her tight.

“And where were you while your mate was defending herself against scum?” Raj asked, looking at Dustin.

Dustin’s cheeks turned a bright red, and Shar remembered what she had seen before she’d been dragged away by the other shifter. Dustin had been standing very close to a woman when she’d walked out of the bathroom.

“Yes, Dustin, what were you doing?” she asked, glaring at him.

‘Ah, fuck,’ Dustin thought as he looked at his mate. She’d seen him with Mable.

“It’s not what you think, Mafilia,” he assured her.

“And what do you know of what I’m thinking?” she asked, continuing to glare at him.

“It’s written all over your face,” Dustin said.

“It is.” Raj nodded and looked at Dustin. “So. What were you doing that’s making your mate look at you as if she wants to tear your head off and use it as a bowling ball?”

Dustin noticed his brothers were looking at him for an answer.

‘Fucking hell.’

“Mable cornered me and admitted she’d gone into cahoots with the hyena so she would have me to herself, and the hyena could get his jollies with my mate. I shoved her aside and went after Shar. I swear, I didn’t want her anywhere near me….”

Sharissa kissed him, and everyone at the table hooted.

“Who’s Mable?” she asked as she backed away from the kiss.

“Some bitch that wanted to hook up with Dustin a couple of years ago. But he blew her off, and now she wants him even more now than ever,” Raj said, smiling at them.

“Guess that saying is true,” Dylan said, watching his brother and his mate.

“What saying?” Daryl asked, looking at Dylan.

“You always want what you can’t have,” Dylan said with a grin.

“Well, she better keep her hands off my mate,” Shar growled.

Dustin grinned. Her growl sounded like a pissed-off wild cat.

“More like paws,” Dominic laughed.

Shar looked up at Dustin, and he smiled down at her.

“All shifters here, remember, Mafilia?”

She nodded, “right. Paws or claws, or whatever she wants to put on my man, she will get it torn off and shoved down her throat.”

The group of men laughed.

“I think Dustin has found his match,” Dylan said with a wide grin.

“Of course, he replaces his mate first,” Drezden grumbled.

Dustin grinned at his brother. “Jealous much?”

Drezden glared at Dustin, then broke into a smile when he looked at Shar. “I’m happy to have you a part of our family, even if it’s with the wrong brother.”

Dustin took the half-eaten tomato from Raj’s hand and threw it at his brother.

Everyone at the table laughed when the tomato splattered across Drezden’s chest.

“Real mature,” Drezden grumbled as he swiped the tomato off his shirt.

“Okay, this will be our last song for the evening. Thank you, Shifter Dive, for another great night. We will be back next month,” Sebastian announced.

Sharissa clapped and whistled as their attention returned to the band.

Their closing song was slow. Dustin got to his feet and offered Shar his hand.

“May I have this dance?” he asked sweetly.

Shar didn’t even think about it. She took her mate’s hand and let him lead her to the dance floor. They danced to the slow ballad as he held her tight.

“So, you like their music?” Dustin asked as they moved to the beat.

Shar nodded and said, “I love it.”

Dustin grinned. “I’m the one who told him to get The Runarounds together again.”

She looked up at him with a bright smile. “You’re a wonderful friend.”

He nodded. “I try to be. He told me they would never be as good as the original band.”

“Have they been signed or anything?”

Dustin shook his head. “Nah, they do their own tours. And everyone loves them.”

“Except for Texas,” she said with a chuckle.

Dustin chuckled, “except for that bar in Texas.”

When the song ended, someone started up the jukebox, and they continued to dance—holding each other as if they never wanted to let go.

“Look at them,” Dylan said with a smile as he watched his brother and his mate.

Daryl smiled and stated, “she’s perfect for him. Never thought there was a right woman for Dustin Kraftman.”

“How long do you give them?” Raj asked, watching his friend and the human.

“What is that supposed to mean?!” Dylan demanded.

“They’re bonded, Raj. There is no separating them,” Daryl said, staring at him.

Raj laughed, “I was not talking about that. I was asking how long you think it will take them to realize they’re already in love with each other.”

The Kraftman brothers opened and shut their mouths a few times, then a grin appeared across each of their faces.

“She’ll realize it first,” Dylan said.

“Don’t sell our brother too short,” Dominic chuckled.

“I agree with Dylan,” Drezden said.

“I agree with Dominic,” Raj said with a twinkle in his eye. “Never underestimate Dustin Kraftman.”

~🐱~

The next day, Sharissa stood in the bathroom, staring at herself. She didn’t look like someone a shifter would take home to mother. She groaned as she brushed the knots from her wet hair.

“Shar?” Dustin asked, knocking on the bathroom door.

“You can come in,” she said.

Dustin opened the door and stopped in the doorway, his eyes roaming over her naked body.

She smiled at him. “What?”

He grunted as he moved to her and took the brush from her hand. She sucked in a breath when he lifted her onto the counter and latched his mouth onto her soft pink nipple.

“Oh, God,” she groaned, her head tilting back.

“You’re so sexy,” he said against her nipple.

“Dustin,” she breathed, her fingers sliding through his hair.

“I can’t wait until tonight,” he grumbled.

“Then don’t,” she panted.

Without another word, his shirt was off, and his pants and boxers were down to his ankles. Within seconds, he was inside her, filling her to overflowing.

“Goddess, you feel so good,” he groaned against her neck.

She wrapped her legs around his hips and pulled him closer. When his cock pushed deeper inside her, they both groaned. He took hold of her hips and started thrusting into her. She cried out when an orgasm exploded through her body, making her dizzy.

“Fuck, yes,” he moaned as he picked up speed.

“Dustin,” she cried out over and over as he slammed into her again and again.

“You feel so incredible,” he moaned.

“So, do you,” she puffed.

“Come for me again, Mafilia.”

She nodded and held him close. When the next orgasm came, Dustin grunted, and his own release followed hers.

“Oh, God,” she moaned when his knot pulled in her pussy.

“Fuck, yes,” he groaned as he nipped at her shoulder. “Now, we’ll be late.”

She chuckled, “hand me my brush so I can finish brushing my hair while we wait.”

He laughed as he reached for her brush but didn’t hand it to her. Instead, he started brushing her hair for her.

She closed her eyes and sighed. It felt incredible. Dustin chuckled when she started to purr. She opened her eyes wide. Did she purr?

When her hair was shiny and knot-free, he set the brush down and held onto her as they waited.

“How much longer?” she whispered against his neck.

He looked at his watch. “About fifteen minutes.”

She sighed as she licked up his neck to his ear and nibbled on his earlobe. She felt his cock twitch inside her and giggled.

“Don’t do that, you witch.”

“Do what?” She asked, nipping at his ear again.

“Stop,” he growled as he took hold of her hips and pulled her full against his pelvis.

Shar sucked in a shocked breath at the pressure.

Dustin groaned as a shockwave ran down his spine. He’d been trying to torment her and got himself, too.

Fuck, if they keep this up, they’ll never make it to his mother’s.