Mathias and his Melusine

"Welcome to hell night." I laughed at my best friend, Darcy as she took off her apron. I pulled on mine and she sighed as she sat and changed shoes. "It can't be that bad out there." I told her and she rolled her eyes like it annoyed her that I was a tad bit optimistic. "Just wait until someone smacks your ass. I have had it happen three times tonight and if they didn't seem so happy to hand over a big tip instead of getting kicked out I would be pissed." "Well, let me take over, you get some sleep, and count your bucks." I winked and she laughed but shook her head. "You have more fun being mouthy with them than I do. And you like to turn them a little crazier." She told me and bounced her eyebrows at me. "Get some rest." I rolled my eyes, fixed my hair and headed right out into the crazy night. I worked fast, getting the cards, creating some tabs and I had to wait hours before it finally cooled down. It was sad there were so many older drunks around here, but it was what it was. I was drinking some water when I heard someone knock the bar and I looked down at a guy as he moved closer to where I was standing. He smelled like a shifter, and I had seen him before, heard him talking about being a bear, an alpha. He was old and still single, and usually an asshole to Darcy as she moved around in front of the bar. He ordered a drink and I watched him take it before I went to start cleaning up. "So, darling, what are you? You smell like a cold-blooded snake." I looked up at the bear shifter and let my smirk come out to play and I walked closer. "Give me a decent tip and you might find out." I teased him taking the two dollars he left on the bar and stuffing them in my apron before turning to finish the glasses. He had been in all night, wondering what I was, like I was just going to parade myself around for him. Especially in front of humans. "I say snake... heard they still move when you cut their heads off." I tensed at the talk before looking back over at him, hitting the alarm for someone in the back to come to the front and take care of this guy. "So does a chicken." I told him and moved back to the glasses. "How much for a beer to go." He asked me and I felt him look me up and down and I just ignored him, waiting on someone to hurry up from the back. "We don't give beers to go. The register is locked for the night, finish your drink and head out." I told him when he seemed to start asking about it again. "I don't think that's right. I just want to walk back to my truck a happy man." He tried to pout but looked more like he was about to throw up and I had to wonder if he was a half-breed. Bears were usually very good at holding their liquor. "Are you mated?" I paused at the question and turned back to him and sighed. "No. But you need to finish and go before the bouncers do their sweep and you lose some money on your drinks." If only the stupid assholes weren't too busy counting their money in the back to come and help out. "Well, if you aren't mated... you'd be happy to service me." He winked and I tried not to throw up this time. I rolled my eyes and walked to the back door, pounding on it to get someone's attention but he followed me down the bar making rude comments about my back side and just as the door in front of me opened, there was a yelp behind me. "Apologize." I turned at the thick voice and smelled ash and smoke and knew it was a dragon shifter. I heard some were going to be rolling in soon for the ceremony of Lyla and her mate, but to have one in the bar and I didn't know... it was smooth. Usually they were ostentatious. "I am not apologizing-" The dragon moved his hand around the mans throat and looked at me. Our eyes met and his brown turned bright gold before he looked at the bear in front of him. "Apologize to my fiancé now, while you still have a tongue." What? Is that what the eye glowing thing meant? What I felt when we first looked at each other? "She said she wasn't mated." The guy choked out and I felt the bouncer behind me move closer before he hopped over the bar and took the dragon away rather than the bear. He pushed him back, telling him that I wasn't his, that he knew me and knew I didn't date dragons. He held his hands up and backed off to show he wasn't a threat, but that wasn't what should have happened. The bear had moved towards me, and before I knew it he was grabbing my arm and I was too late to pull away when his teeth sank into my forearm and branded me. I screamed and pulled away and he laughed as my blood flowed out of his mouth. "You're mine now honey. Almost." He winked and I looked at my arm as his teeth marks started to heal, but left scars, ones that would tell others I was claimed, and I looked right to the dragon who had screeched loudly. "Not in the bar. You want to shift you take it to the woods." I walked closer to the back door, my arm was burning even more and I felt tears rising and if I hadn't caught myself, I would have passed out from hitting the concrete floor. I was shaking and I moved on instinct. I ran to the sink, seeling the soapy water and I felt like my breathing turn frantic as I grabbed at the spray nozzle and turned on the cold water and made sure to let it flow over the branding. It took several moments for me to feel a little relief and when I saw the mark disappearing I relaxed and continued to let the water keep flowing before I felt a lot better. The bouncers came back in, apologizing to me and I waved it off, telling them because of what I was, the mark meant nothing, that it was gone and they just needed to make sure to keep me safe next time and to make sure that bear was never let back in. "The... dragon, he wanted to make sure you were alright." Danny told me and I nodded slowly before letting him walk back out the front with me and the pacing stopped as he waited. "You're ok?" He asked and I nodded slowly until he gave a breath of smoke as he exhaled deeply. "I am Mathias." he told me and I just nodded slowly again. "I know...with what just happened you are probably wary. I mean you no harm. But... we are mates, would it be ok to set up a time tomorrow to talk?" "I work at the diner tomorrow morning." "My cousin has me staying at the B&B, she cooks there-" "Lyla. Yes I know why you and your family are in town, we're all happy she is staying in town." I told him and he nodded slwoly as I then turned and looked at the guys. "It's ok." I was glad they understood my need for privacy, and once they were gone I looked back at Mathias. "I'm Callie." I told him and then felt a little worried. "I... I'm a Melusine... we don't really get mates, are you sure?" I asked and he looked a little confused before nodding. "Melusine, like a mermaid?" He asked and I titled my head back and forth. "Kind of, but different." I told him and then walked closer. "We're not a huge... group." As far as I knew it was just my family left. So basically we were almost extinct. "I don't want to push you into anything, what just happened could make you sort of wary and skittish, I just want the oppertunity to know you and get the chance to be the mate I can be for you." He told me and I gulped hard but nodded in a small way to show him that I would like that. "I... I start work at 10 tomorrow, we can have breakfast before I start." I told him and he nodded quickly. "I will meet you at the B&B." I told him and he nodded again. "They will walk you out?" He asked looking behind me and I nodded. That was an over protective worry for him and I just kept that fact present in my head, he was showing signs of a mate towards me. First with the bear, then with the idea of him giving me time to accept him, and now with the worry over my safety as he plans to leave me here alone. This could be a pleasant surprise for once. Now... if my grandmother tells me it is possible when I ask her about it, I will believe it's true.