The Witch's Mates

Chapter One

*The book will be in Willow's POV unless otherwise stated*

**Present Day**

I'm pushing my way through the packed club, keeping my eyes trained on my surroundings. Looking for possible threats as well as a viable target. I'm starting to lose hope and count this night as a complete failure when suddenly I spot him. 

Perfect.

He's camped out on a bar stool trying to chat up the girl standing next to him, but she's completely ignoring him. Even from a distance, I can tell that she's a werewolf. He should know better. Werewolves are seriously committed to waiting for their fated mates, especially the females.

As one of the few species that have fated mates, they are notoriously hard to pick up in bars and clubs which only makes my job more difficult. Vampires are the only other species that have fated mates, but they don't subscribe to the notion of remaining faithful to their mate before they have even met them.

Of course, vampires live much longer than werewolves and so they may live hundreds of years before finding their mate. There is also the small matter of vampires needing to drink blood in order to survive, and many of them prefer to do that during sex.

I try to repress a shudder at that thought, as I start to make my way through the crowd and toward my target.

I know that vampires can make their bite extremely pleasurable for their victim, but they can also make it extremely painful if they choose to. And I can never get past that. The simple fact that they drink blood is disgusting enough on its own.

Disgusting bloodsucking leeches. And I was heading straight for one. Can anyone say, masochist?

The leech is tall and thin and might be considered handsome if it wasn't for the sneer on his face. Even after being turned down by the werewolf, he gives off an air of complete arrogance. He has long blond hair that comes down to his shoulders in waves and crimson-colored eyes.

It's always a shock the first couple of times you see a vampire, their blood-red eyes giving away the evil that is hidden inside. Of course, all supernaturals have a touch of evil in them, even us witches. But vampires are different, they are pure evil. The only thing worse is demons. But they don't come up to earth all that often, so most nights I don't have to deal with them at all.

And in all honesty, I have never actually encountered a demon myself. I have only been hunting for three years now since the elders insist on us waiting until we are sixteen. I have heard plenty of stories though. And from those, I can say I feel lucky that I haven't had to deal with a demon yet.

They are nasty creatures and really hard to put down on your own. It usually takes at least three witches to do it. Shaking the thoughts of demons from my mind, I sidle up next to the leech I picked out to target tonight.

I wave down the bartender, not even glancing at the leech. It works better if they think that they singled you out, not the other way around.

As I order a rum and coke, I see out of the corner of my eye, that the leech is craning his neck to look at the area where my neck meets my right shoulder. That is where my mark would be if I had a mate. It is a symbol that lets everyone know that you are taken. Both parts of the pair, bite each other and it leaves a permanent mark.

I, of course, would never let somebody brand me as their property. But I have a part to play tonight, so I turn a little bit so that he can see that I am mark free.

As the bartender sets my drink in front of me, I reach for my small purse to pull out some cash.

"Don't worry Sugar, I got it." The leech next to me says and pays the bartender quickly.