The Mate Challenge (BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance) (Sassy Mates Book 4) by Milly Taiden Page A

showed up.
    “Barbara, hi,” she said, wondering what Mason’s mother was doing there.
    Barbara smiled and pointed to her car. “Ready to go?”
    Emma frowned, trying to figure out what Barbara was talking about. “Where are we going?”
    “Wow. I wouldn’t expect you to forget. You’re usually the one on top of everything. We’re supposed to go to dinner tonight.”
    That’s right! Barbara had called her a few weeks back and made the date so they could spend some time together. She felt Emma needed to get out and relax because all the previous wedding planning had stressed her out.
    “Um,” now what? Barbara was a wonderful person and Emma knew she could trust her to know what she was doing. “I was just going out, but why don’t you come with me?”
    Interest sparked in Barbara’s blue eyes. “Sure. Where are we going?”
    They got in Emma’s car and she started driving before she finally told her. “Don’t freak out.”
    “Uh-oh. Usually when people say that it’s because they know you’ll freak out.”
    “Yeah,” she laughed. “That’s what I’m afraid of. We’re going to see a new friend of mine.”
    She glanced away from the road to catch Barbara’s brows lifting in surprise. “Oh?”
    “As you know, I’m trying to find out what happened to one of my students. I requested someone’s help and she might have some information for me.”
    They reached the area where Emma had last seen Aria. She shut off the engine and sighed.
    “Is there anything else you want to tell me about your friend, Emma?”
    She bit her lip. “Like what?”
    Darkness fell around them. But once her eyes adjusted, she was able to make out the area.
    “Oh, I don’t know. Like the fact she’s got killer curves and can suck you dry in a manner of minutes?”
    Emma jerked her gaze up from her cell phone to look out of her windshield. Aria stood in front of her car.
    Barbara opened the passenger side, hopping out quickly. Emma followed suit, hoping the two women wouldn’t find it hard to get along. She knew that vampires and shifters didn’t mix, but when it came to it, there were lives at stake and she hoped they could put their species differences to the side.
    “I see you brought another pet,” Aria sighed. She folded her arms over the top of her black T-shirt. Tonight, she’d worn hip-hugging jeans that Emma had to admit looked amazing on her and a set of spike heeled boots. The vampire knew how to dress. “What is it with humans and dogs?”
    “I’d watch that pretty mouth of yours, little girl. This dog bites,” Barbara growled.
    Oh, shit. “Aria, please. This is Barbara Wolfe, mate to the Alpha of the Wolfe Pack and a wonderful friend of mine. She’s just as worried about finding Maria as I am,” Emma said, hoping her words would cut the tension between the two.
    Aria nodded. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Wolfe. I have had a very trying day and it’s showing in my lack of manners.”
    “That part, I can understand. Try having five kids to drive you insane and then you can talk about having a trying day,” Barbara muttered.
    “Barbara, I’m sorry for this change of plans, but you know I’m trying to figure out what could have happened to Maria.” She turned to Aria. “Tell me you found out something?”
    “Yeah. Quite a few things. One of them being I am almost sure someone in my clan is keeping things from me. I can’t say that your girl went to Embraced, but that’s a high possibility right now.”
    “Any way we can find out?” Barbara asked.
    Emma tapped the side of her car with her nails. “I went by the club with Nic the other day. You hardly see anyone going there.”
    “That’s because a lot of the dealings happen via the back entrance,” Aria stated. “Feel like taking a ride?”
    “No need to tell me twice, let’s go,” Barbara exclaimed, jumping back into Emma’s car.
    “So who runs this place,” Emma asked Aria as she drove.
    “Technically, it’s supposed to be a free