Home > Brynna (Stone Society)(2)

Brynna (Stone Society)(2)
Author: Faith Gibson

Annie stood, wiped her hand on her embroidered, fringed skirt, and said, “I sure can.” She held out her hand. “Annie Oakley.”

“Brynhild Holgersen, but you may call me Bryn.” Bryn shook the smaller woman’s hand.

“Well, Brynna,” Annie replied, “It’s a pleasure to meet ya.”

 

 

Chapter One


Norway, 2048

 

Brynna tugged on Travis’s hand, leading him up the steps and into the monstrous house, not bothering to wait on Banyan and Urijah. “Welcome to my humble abode.” After a couple weeks touring Norway, showing Travis her homeland, they were finally at the manor. If Brynna’d had her way, they would have stayed somewhere else.

“Humble?” Travis stumbled to a stop once they were inside. His eyes were wide as he took in the gaudy extravagance of the house she had grown up in. Brynna chuckled at the human’s expression.

“Don’t tell me you can’t discern by now when I’m being sarcastic.”

Travis blushed as he often did when Brynna’s focus was on her mate. Her mate who had no idea what he meant to her. It had been six months since he lost his girlfriend but less than two months since Brynna had bounced into his life.

“You already told me what to expect.” Travis stepped farther into the foyer after Brynna. “Wow. This is… uh,” he stammered, looking all around the entrance hall. Before they got any farther into the house, Marcie was heading to greet them from the kitchen.

“Brynna! Welcome home!”

“Hey, Marcie. It’s good to be home. Well, back in Norway. This place? Not so much.” Marcie snorted as Brynna hugged her tightly. When she released her friend, Brynna turned to Travis. “Travis, I’d like you to meet my good friend, Marcie. She runs this place. Marcie, this is Travis.” Brynna had already told Marcie all about her mate, so there was no need to give him a title or label.

Travis shook Marcie’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Brynna talks about you all the time.”

“Likewise. I feel as if I know ya already.” Marcie gestured for them to follow. “Now, come on in. I’ve got lunch ready.”

Brynna grabbed Travis’s hand again, tugging him toward the kitchen. She never hesitated to touch her mate whenever she could, even if it wasn’t in a sexual manner. She was trying to get him used to being around her. She was also trying to sate her beast in the smallest of ways until she could claim Travis. Sometimes, Brynna could feel the stirrings of lust from Travis, but just as quickly, he would shut it down. From guilt or something else, she couldn’t be sure.

Banyan and Urijah followed them into the kitchen, both males hugging Marcie. Lunch was filled with laughter and catching up. Travis sat quietly, taking it all in. Brynna had spent as much time with Travis as he allowed after work hours and on the weekends. She told him all about growing up in Åsmundnes, about returning when Banyan took over the throne from their father, and about her plans for turning the house into something other than its current rendition; therefore, most of what they were talking about, he already knew.

Afterward, Brynna showed Travis to the room he’d be staying in for the duration, unless she got up the nerve to tell him he was her mate.

“This is your room, and mine is right across the hall. Banyan and Uri are on the other end of the house. Trust me. It’s for the best. Those two can get loud.” Travis turned his head, but Brynna didn’t miss the way he blushed. She couldn’t help but grin. He really should be used to her lack of filter by now.

“Wow,” Travis muttered, taking in the large suite. It was bigger than his apartment, but it was gaudy as hell, so she wasn’t sure which his surprise was directed at. Possibly both. He stepped into the middle of the room, turning around to see it all. “You weren’t kidding.” Ah, the latter.

“Nope. This place could be a five-star establishment if it weren’t for the décor.” Brynna crossed the room and flopped back on the bed, tucking her hands behind her head. She wiggled a little, then quickly sat up. “Oh, this won’t do. What was Marcie thinking?” she mumbled.

“What won’t do?”

“This bed is too hard. Your back’s going to seize up after one night. Nope. We need to find something better.”

“Brynna, it’s okay. I’m not that picky,” Travis said.

“Well, you should be. And if you won’t be, I’ll be picky for you. I won’t allow you to sleep on this.” Brynna rose from the bed and headed out of the suite, but Travis grabbed her hand. Without thinking, Brynna linked their fingers together.

“Bryn, stop.” Travis sighed as he searched Brynna’s face, and she held her breath. She knew she was overbearing, but she only wanted the best for him. Travis glanced at her lips, but it was just a glance. He released her hand, then turned and picked up his suitcase, taking it to the bed in question. He looked over his shoulder at her, smiling. “This room is fine. I promise. I’m not a princess like some people I know.” That was one thing about her human; Travis wasn’t afraid to joke with her. Even with his quiet demeanor around most others, he was comfortable giving her shit. Shit she gave right back.

“Hey, I’m the queen,” Brynna huffed, tossing her long, blonde hair over her shoulder. Instead of arguing further, she took a stack of Travis’s button-up shirts and hung them in the closet while he put his other clothes in the dresser. Banyan’s voice carried to Brynna from downstairs, asking if they were ready to go. Her brother and Urijah were ready to get things underway with their new home.

“Coming,” she responded softly knowing he would hear her. Travis was well aware of Gargoyle hearing, but she still explained, “B and Uri are ready to go to the clearing.”

“I can’t wait to see it,” Travis said. When he had been tasked with designing the males’ home, Travis had been reluctant, but Brynna had talked him into at least getting a free vacation out of the trip. He had argued about not having the money for a trip abroad nor the time away from his fairly new position with Stone, Incorporated, but Banyan explained how he would be paying Travis for his time. Rafael hadn’t hesitated in giving Travis the time off because the King knew Travis was Brynna’s mate.

“It really is amazing. I’m a little jealous they found it first. I mean, they get this stunning haven in the woods while I get all this.” Brynna gestured to the badly decorated hallway.

“Why don’t you buy your own property?” Travis asked as they headed downstairs.

Brynna didn’t tell him it was because she was waiting to see if he wanted to be her mate. She didn’t want to live alone in the middle of nowhere. Banyan had offered to build Brynna her own home on the property since it comprised of thousands of acres, but what was the point if she had no one to share it with? If she and Travis ever got to the point where they were actually mated, then she would build something for the two of them, whether that be in Norway or New Atlanta, because Brynna didn’t see Travis wanting to move away from Trevor. For the time being, she had Uri’s old house in New Atlanta.

“Mostly because I have to figure out what to do with the manor. If I can’t turn it into something profitable, I’ll sell it. Until then…”

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