Carve My Pumpkin (The Night Realm: Halloween Marked #3)

Chapter 25

TWENTY-FIVE

MATEO

Night had fallen and I knew the office would be empty, or rather I showed up later to avoid Colette. Two kisses had turned my world upside down. I couldn’t blame her for her reaction. She wasn’t wrong, either. No matter how much I wanted to pretend she was. If, or when, my soulmate did show up it would throw a wrench into anything we had. If the roles were reversed there was no way I’d jump into anything with her. My mind was a whirl of thoughts as I made my way through the empty office. Through the massive windows I saw people moving around the castle at the fall festival. Down the street they would all be dressed as zombies for the zombie crawl down Main Street. I’d been looking forward to that event all month. Then I went and ruined it by kissing her.

Now I didn’t want to participate in any of it. I just wanted to sit in the quiet of my office and sulk in my misery. I walked down the hall and paused at the desk Colette insisted on taking. A light smile played on my lips as I ran my fingers over the surface of it. I adored the way she called me on my shit and stood up for herself. Not everyone was strong enough to do that and yet here she was the tiny fae who did it all while capturing a part of me I wasn’t ever going to get back. Soulmate or not.

I walked into my office and dropped into my office chair. It leaned back and rocked for a second and I let it as I stared out the window wondering where she was or what she was doing. Was she happy? Or did she feel this pain in her chest the way I did? My eyes landed on a single white piece of paper sitting in the middle of my desk. I grabbed it and saw my name written in her handwriting on the front. My heart stopped. I tore the envelope open and quickly read the words.

Mr. Vauntero,

I am writing this letter to express my sincere gratitude for the opportunity to work in the position as exectuvie assistant to the island ambassador. It is with my sincerest regret that I must formally resign my position effective immediately. Once again thank you for this amazing opportunity and I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Regards,

Ms. Rothchild

I balled the paper in my hands and jumped to my feet. There was no way I was going to let her let this job go. She wanted to see the world, she wanted to meet people, travel, find herself. She might not have belonged with me but I’d be damned if I kept her from her dream. I would never forgive myself for it. There were other options besides me. Kallahan would make a great boss for her. Orson and Liza would show her the fun parts of the world. Even Hemming was now moving into our department a little. I could fix this for her, I could give her her dream job back because it didn’t require me to be part of it.

I pulled my cell from my pocket and opened a text to Constantine. ‘Where is she?’

His response was almost immediate . ‘Who is the she you are referring to?’

I didn’t need him to play games with me right now. They were friends, so I knew he knew. I growled to my phone as I typed my response.‘ You know who.’

‘Perhaps you should leave her be.’

I was going to kill my brother and get deported. But really how bad could the fourth realm be? I paused, it was ruled by Prince Riven and his family. So it could be very, very bad. I wasn’t going to kill him but there would be revenge of some sort.

I typed my response out quickly. ‘Because we both know I can’t.’

He sent me an eye rolling emoji and two words. Zombie Crawl.

I shoved my phone back into my pocket and held her letter in my hand. My fist curled around it as I hurried out of my office and down the hall. I found my speed increasing with each step I took until I got closer to Main Street and where I knew the zombie crawl would be. The people attending were all dressed up like zombies with dark circles around their eyes, fake blood caked on their faces and clothing, and ripped clothing that’d seen better days. Everyone was laughing and smiling. The sound of music and partying filled the street and the smell of alcohol was nearly overwhelming but I could detect a hint of Colette among it all.

I slowed my pace when I spotted her standing with Dawson, Pickles, and Monroe - that handsome bastard. She smiled up at them and laughed as they spoke to each other. It was so easy going, so simple. I wanted things that simple between us. Even dressed as a zombie she was exquisite. Her hair was pulled back from her face and even her makeup, full gore zombie, was done to perfection. For a moment I pictured myself standing next to her and enjoying the same things. I took a step toward her and then I heard my name.

“Mateo!” Kallahan stumbled from the crowd holding a pint of blood-beer. His long hair was twisted up on top of his head and caked with fake blood that streamed down the side of his head. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “Come on have a drink.”

I shrugged him off. “I can’t I have to go.”

“What could possibly be more important than your family?” He motioned to my other brothers and sister all starting to gather around. They began to close in around me and I took a step back. They were a sea of sapphire eyes and dark hair. With the zombie makeup their eyes practically glowed.

“There really are SO many of us.” I shook my head and began to untangle myself from them when I spotted two baby seals having a dance off in the bar beside us. What the hell? Araqiel stood beside the dance floor cheering them on with a taco in each hand. Now I’d seen it all. This was too much, my family was too much, the seal-angel combo was too much. I had to get to Colette and this was nothing but distraction.

Kahallan’s brows furrowed. “You sure you’re okay? You look kind of . . . weird. In a panicked sort of way.”

“I’m fine.” I turned away from him and looked for Colette but she was gone. She left Dawson, Monroe, and Pickles standing there.

I needed to find her now. No way was I going to let her throw her dreams away. Not now, not ever. I was halfway down the street when Constantine stepped into my path and stopped me dead in my tracks.

“Problem, brother?”

“If you get out of my way then there won’t be.” I spoke through gritted teeth.

“That’s cute.” He was unflappable standing in front of me blocking my way. The big brother who was always more like a parent to us all. Even I hesitated to get on the wrong side of him yet I needed to get to Colette and he was an obstacle in my way.

“I need to talk to her.” I stepped back and tried to find my calm.

“Colette is one of the finest supernaturals I’ve ever met.” He crossed his arms over his chest still not moving.

My body thrummed to chase after her and yet I fought to stay still. “I couldn’t agree more.”

“She deserves . . . everything.”

“Agreed.”

“She is not happy and I don’t like it when she’s not happy.” He pursed his lips and I swallowed. I never liked it when my brothers, especially Constantine, were upset with me.

“You think I do?” I ran my hands through my hair.

“Fix. It.” He spoke to me through his thinned lips and all I could do was nod at him.

He stepped to the side and it was like being unleashed, I ran head long for Colette. I followed that unique sent that was all her own down the street and around a corner. There were less people here and it was more like an alley than a street. I kept on moving and the world blurred by me in a flash until there was nothing but her in my mind and her scent tingling my nose. In a moment I spotted her up ahead and I ran right by her and stopped a few feet away. I leaned up against the building and shoved my hands in my pockets.

When she spotted me she slowed to a stop.

“ Mateo. ” She whispered then shook her head. “I mean, Mr. Vauntero.”

“Is this what we’ve come to?” I held the crumbled piece of paper up. “ Ms. Rothchild ?”

She crossed her arms. “The trial period didn’t work out.”

“I think it did.” I mirrored her position.

“How can you say that?” She shook her head. “I did not complete the one task you asked of me and we have crossed a line. On multiple fronts.”

“You’ve done exceptional work with me, Colette.” I softened my voice. “Don’t give up on your dreams now.”

“I’m not giving up on them.” She shuffled from one foot to the other. “I’m just finding new ones.”

“That don’t include Prescott Tech or me?” I pressed my hand to my chest. I knew it was better if I wasn’t involved but when she stepped away like this if felt like a slap in the face.

She tucked a strand of her hair behind her tiny pointed ear. “We can’t work together.”

“I think we’ve proved that we can".” I didn’t know why I expected her to stay on after all that we’d been through. But I wanted her to so badly.

“You didn’t even come into work today.” She met my eyes. “You can’t do your job and avoid me at the same time.”

“I wasn’t avoiding you.”

She gave a humorless laugh. “Liar.”

“Maybe just a little.” I shrugged. I loved the way she called me on my bullshit. I loved the way she smiled. I loved the way she put others above herself. I loved the way she was just . . . her.

“See you have important work to do and I don’t want to get in the way of that.” She swiped at her cheek and sucked in a deep breath.

“You aren’t in the way. You make everything better.”

She rolled her eyes. “You can’t say stuff like that to me, Mateo.”

“Why not? I mean them.”

“ Now .” She stomped her foot. “You mean them now and when you find your soulmate you’ll never say them to me again and that’ll just . . .”

I didn’t want her to stop talking to me now. “Just what?”

“It’ll just break my heart.” She met my gaze and didn’t let it go. “And I don’t want to live through that.”

He words were like a shot to my chest. “I don’t want that either.”

“We’ve been over this already, Mateo.”

I didn’t want to hurt her. I wanted her to reach all of her dreams. I wanted her to run the damn company if she wanted to. But she was right and deep down we both knew it.

“ You have to let me go, Mateo ,” she whispered for only just to the two of us.

I didn’t want to. With everything in my body I did not want to let her go. But I refused to hurt her or put her in a position she didn’t want to be in. Everything in my body hurt and I didn’t wish this on anyone, least of all her. I didn’t have the words, I could never agree to let her go but I could try to adhere to her wishes.

I clearly my throat. “I . . . understand. But just listen to me for one second. Please.”

She just stared at me.

I handed her the balled up resignation letter. “I will talk to Lexington myself. I will get you stationed with Kallahan or Orson. They can both provide you with the dream future you wanted for yourself. It will kill me to see you work with someone else but it would hurt me worse to know I ruined your life-long dreams. Come into the office on Monday, you’ll have a meeting scheduled with Lexington. I won’t be there. He’ll talk to you and see if you’d rather go with Kallahan or Orson. Let me at least do this for you. Please.”

“Okay.” Tears glistened in her eyes yet she didn’t shed a single one.

“Okay.” I nearly choked on the word.

Without another word between us she walked away and I just . . . let her.