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  “I’ll stay,” she whispered.

  At the simple words, a rush of energy burst through Caleb with more force than an angry storm. Lily Sotheby, the woman he’d wanted for centuries, had just said yes. The untouchable just became touchable.

  He strode toward the bedroom before she could change her mind. Oh, if she did, he’d let her go. But he’d probably combust at that point.

  At least he wouldn’t have to be a prophet any longer if he exploded. His lips twitched.

  Intrigue filled her eyes as a slight smile curved her lips. “What’s amusing you?”

  He glanced down, his chest hitching at her open smile. “The last time I felt this desperate for a woman, I was young—barely an adult.”

  She hummed and ran a soft hand across his chest. “Lucky woman.”

  He started, his heart beating hard enough she had to be able to feel it. “It was you, Lil. You’re the only woman I’ve ever wanted badly enough to burn.”

  THE DARK PROTECTOR SERIES

  by Rebecca Zanetti

  Fated

  Claimed

  Tempted

  Hunted

  Consumed

  Provoked

  Twisted

  Shadowed

  Tamed

  Marked

  Tamed

  REBECCA ZANETTI

  eKENSINGTON

  Kensington Publishing Corp.

  www.kensingtonbooks.com

  All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

  Table of Contents

  “I’ll stay,” she whispered.

  THE DARK PROTECTOR SERIES

  Title Page

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Teaser chapter

  Copyright Page

  Chapter One

  Lily Sotheby settled back into the worn leather of the booth, her fingers around the stem of a wineglass. “This cabernet is, um . . .”

  “Piss.” Hilde Freebird pulled the label off her longneck beer as Garth Brooks crooned from the jukebox. “You don’t order wine at a honkey-tonk, Prophet.”

  “Shhh,” said Janie Kayrs, the other accomplice, eyeing the peanut shells lining the tavern’s floor. “Don’t call her that.”

  “Oh yeah. My bad.” Hilde pushed her glasses farther up her nose and nodded at a group of men playing pool. Fit and hard, several wore handmade silk suits. They seemed out of place in the dive bar as well. “Have you chosen?”

  This was such an incredibly bad idea. “No.” Lily tracked the distance from the booth to the door. “If the king discovers we’re at a bar, he’s going to kill me.” What in the heck was she thinking, bringing the vampire king’s niece to a public bar? Half of the immortal species wanted to kidnap Janie; the other half wanted her dead.

  Janie snorted. “I know. We’re safe because nobody in the world would expect to find us here. But I’m twenty-five, have been for several days, and I’ve always wanted a real night out with the girls—without vampires or bodyguards.”

  Hilde nodded. “That is important for a human woman, which you are. And getting the prophet laid is an admirable goal.”

  On all that was holy. Lily’s face heated. “I’m sure I don’t remember how to, ah, copulate.” She’d mated a vampire three centuries ago, and he’d died shortly thereafter. Once mated, a vampire or mate could never become intimate with another being . . . until now.

  “Well, first you need to stop using the word copulate.” Jane took a swig of beer. “How odd is it that a virus created by our enemies now allows you a second chance at love?”

  Forget love. Lily had just wanted a night free of work and worry. Having sex with some stranger was not the way for her to relax, regardless of her friends’ attempts. “Virus-27 is designed to unravel our chromosomes until we become bacteria . . . no doubt I’ll die before that happens.” But, for now, the virus took away the physical repercussions of vampire mating, and she could actually touch a man again without inflicting a horrible allergic reaction upon them both. If she found a man. She smoothed down her long skirt.

  “Speaking of copulation”—Hilde clucked her tongue—“did you have to dress like a puritan?”

  Lily examined her flowered gown. “This is how I dress.”

  “At least ditch the sweater.” Without waiting for agreement, Hilde grasped the sweater’s hem and yanked it over Lily’s head. “Oh my.”

  Lily glanced down at her breasts rising above the bustier. “This is to be worn underneath the sweater.”

  “Not if you want nookie.” Hilde shoved the sweater in her bulky purse. “Come on. Unlike you, I’m a widow who hasn’t contracted the virus and thus I still can’t touch a male without an allergic reaction. You must get some for both of us.”

  Lily tried to relax and smile at her friend. Hilde had moved in with the vampires when her granddaughter had mated one of the king’s brothers, and she’d become a friend to Lily and a pain in the butt to the vampires. “This top is indecent,” Lily murmured.

  Janie smiled, pretty blue eyes lightening. “You look beautiful.” She leaned forward. “In a couple of days, you’re going to be so busy brokering the end to the war, you won’t have time for fun. You deserve this. Now pick a man.”

  Lily cleared her throat. “As one of three Realm prophets, I feel the need to caution you about strange men and pre-matehood sex.” While the prophets technically belonged to the Realm, a coalition of vampires, shifters, and witches, in reality, they belonged to Fate and would broker peace among all species. “You really should wait until you’re mated or married.”

  “Shut up.” Hilde grinned as the waitress set down shots of tequila. Waiting until the woman had bustled away, Hilde pushed glasses toward the other two women. “Here’s to ending the vampire war.”

  Lily took her glass. “To peace.” Tipping back her head, she allowed the liquor to slide down her throat, bringing instant warmth. Her eyes watered.

  Janie played with the label on her beer. “So, ah, Caleb Donovan is supposed to arrive at headquarters in a few days.”

  The mere mention of the vampire’s name sent heat spiraling through Lily’s body to pool in her abdomen. “All three of us prophets will be involved in negotiations.”

  Hilde rolled her eyes. “Come on. Even though I’ve only been at headquarters a short time, I’ve noticed how you blush whenever the Realm Rebel is mentioned.”

  Lily sighed. “We dated briefly centuries ago, but my parents arranged a marriage to somebody else. Caleb was angry, but duty called.” She’d always wondered if she’d made a mistake in choosing duty.

  Janie sighed. “Ignore duty while you can. Caleb is hot. Maybe you should scratch an old itch and forget finding a human male for the night.”

  “No.” Lily straightened her shoulders. “Caleb was kicked out of the Realm and only returned because your uncle needed allies in the war. Then, when Fate marked Caleb as one of the three prophets, the chance for anything between us ended. He’s so angry, and he hates being a prophet.”

  “That’s because he’s a vampire and a soldier. The soft approach doesn’t work for him.” Janie frowned. “Sometimes Fate gets it wrong. Trust me.”

  Enough talk about Fate and mistakes from the past. Lily glanced around the tavern, trying to distract Janie from the seriousness of their lives. “The bartender is handsome.”

  Her friends instantly swiveled to check out the blond behind the bar. Green eyes, broad chest, har
d-earned tan.

  Hilde blew out air. “A twenty-five-year-old human male in that good shape? I bet he could go all night.”

  Lily coughed out the scent of peanuts, dust, and tequila. “For goodness’ sake. I can’t do this.” Especially with a human who’d been on earth only a quarter of a century. He was just a kid.

  Janie nodded. “Yeah, I agree. You need a guy with some mileage . . . experience matters.”

  Lily turned in slow motion to eye the psychic. “You’re too young to be so wise. Tell me you haven’t been dabbling with some guy with mileage.”

  Janie’s eyes sparkled. “Don’t ask questions if you don’t want the answers.”

  Yeah, right. The poor woman never had a moment to herself. “Someday you’ll find your bliss, Janie.” Lily straightened her shoulders. “Now, let’s finish our drinks and go catch a movie.”

  Hilde frowned. “No sex?”

  “No. I’m a prophet, for Pete’s sake. I can’t sleep with one of these boys under thirty years old.” Lily sighed. Dignity was her middle name, darn it.

  Hilde pushed her beer away. “Seriously. No sex?”

  “Now, that would be a shame.” One of the men from the pool area slid around the corner, his wide shoulders blocking the nearest light. “Sex with strangers can be exhilarating.”

  Hilde’s smile lit up her green eyes. “Exactly.” Scooting from the booth, she all but shoved the man in. “This is Lily, and she’s trying to ‘get back out there’ after ending a relationship a long time ago.”

  The man held out a hand. “Paul Dunphy, and I know what you mean.”

  Janie slid from the booth and gave Lily a look. “We’ll go play darts. I expect to see his license if you decide to leave with him.” The woman followed Hilde.

  Lily’s mouth dropped open. She shook her head, “I, ah—”

  Paul captured her hand and shook. “It’s all right, Lily. No judgment here.” He yanked on his silk tie and loosened the top. “I like your bar.”

  “This is my first time here.” If Paul didn’t stop ogling her chest, she might have to kick him. “This doesn’t seem like your kind of place.”

  “We finished signing a deal around the corner, and this seemed like a good place to let off some steam. I’m a financial broker.” His voice lowered on the last as if the statement should impress her.

  “That’s nice.” Lily tried to signal her friends. Time to leave.

  “What do you do?” Paul asked her breasts.

  “Well, they just sit there mainly.” Lily waited until his gaze rose to her face. “I, on the other hand, am a counselor.” Which was true. “But I have an early morning tomorrow and need to get going.”

  “Early morning? What are you, twenty-five?” Paul leaned in close, charm in his smile.

  Three hundred and twenty-five, actually. “I feel much older.”

  He frowned and brushed her hair from her face. “You look like a princess with those shining eyes and white-blond hair. And you smell like . . . what is that?”

  Strawberries, or so she’d been told. She allowed her empathic abilities to open just a bit and then drew away from the darkness in her new companion. Kindness lived nowhere in the man.

  “Strawberries,” he mused. His eyes darkened. “I’d love to taste you. How about we get out of here?”

  Caution straightened her shoulders, and she plastered on her smoothest smile. “I appreciate your offer, but I must be going.” She moved to scoot from the booth.

  His hand wrapped around her wrist. “Don’t tease. I heard you earlier—and I know what you want. A girl like you from a place like this? You could even earn some money if you make me really happy. You gave the token refusal, and now we’re going to go.”

  Lily centered her mind. This was so bad.

  Janie Kayrs instantly appeared at the table. “Is everything all right?” She glanced pointedly at Paul’s restraining hand.

  “Just fine.” Lily shook loose. “Though I’m ready to go.”

  Paul grabbed her upper arm. “You’re not leaving.” He glared at Janie. “Get out of the way, or you’re going to get hurt.”

  Janie slid one leg back. “Let go of my friend. Now.”

  Lily’s heart roared into gear. God. This was going to be disastrous. She bunched her free hand into a fist and nailed Paul in the Adam’s apple. His eyes widened, then he released her and grabbed his throat.

  Janie tugged her from the booth. “Let’s go.”

  They turned and ran into Paul’s friends. The closest one glanced at his choking buddy and then frowned at Lily. “You hit him?”

  “She sure did.” Janie instantly side-kicked one guy, following up with a punch to the gut.

  Lily went for the groin shot, knocking the guy down.

  A third man ran from the pool area, and Hilde smacked a beer bottle down on his head. “Whoo-hoo,” she yelped as he fell.

  Oh, things just couldn’t get worse. Lily grabbed Janie’s arm. “Run, now.”

  Paul launched from the booth and captured Lily from behind. Bugger that. She’d trained for three hundred years and might accidentally hurt the guy.

  The front door opened, and the situation went from disastrous to pure hell. Lily stiffened, her eyes widening as two men stalked into the bar. Tension spiraled through the room, and furious multicolored eyes met hers.

  “Caleb,” she whispered.

  He was even bigger than she remembered. Well over six feet, broad, and dangerous as hell, the Realm Rebel filled the doorway. His blond hair hung to his shoulders, and those odd eyes promised death. He filled out his dark T-shirt under a scuffed leather jacket, and long jean-clad legs led to biker boots. Someone so sexy shouldn’t be allowed to wear leather or boots.

  He took in the scene with one glance, focusing on the male currently holding Lily against her will. He stepped forward, but the vampire king grabbed his arm.

  “They’re human,” Dage muttered, his voice easily reaching across the room.

  “I don’t give a shit.” Three steps into the room, and Caleb focused on the guy behind her. “Let go, or I’ll take your head off.”

  Paul released Lily and paused, as if trying to decide whether or not to take him on. Good sense apparently took over, and he angled to the side to haul his buddies up. “She said she wanted to get laid—I was just trying to help. Let’s go.” They scurried from the tavern.

  Caleb didn’t move, yet somehow his gaze landed on her. “What in the hell are you wearing?”

  “None of your business.” She’d give anything to retrieve her sweater from Hilde.

  The king sighed, his focus on his niece. “What are you doing in a bar without bodyguards?”

  Janie pressed both hands against her hips. “You tracked me? I mean, you have a tracker on me?” Fury flashed red through the woman’s face.

  “No.” Dage shuffled his feet in the peanut shells. “We have a tracker on Hilde.” He winced and glanced at the forty-something woman. “Sorry, but we figured you’d venture out at some point.”

  Hilde pursed her lips, thought, and then shrugged. “Yes. Good call.”

  Lily lifted her chin and tried to find some dignity. “I believe it’s time we went on our way.”

  Caleb pivoted and blocked her path. The scent of male and wildness washed over her along with his heat. She’d forgotten his heat.

  “Dage, we’ll be along later. Prophet business and all that.” Caleb didn’t move as he spoke. His eyes dared her to contradict him.

  “You sure?” Dage asked, reaching for Hilde’s arm.

  “Yes.” Caleb gestured Lily back into the booth. “We need to talk.”

  She thought about protesting, but truly, she’d caused enough of a scene for one night. Plus, they did need to talk about the upcoming peace talks. The bar was as good a place as any. So she retook her seat.

  Dage escorted Hilde and Janie out of the tavern. Anybody who’d watched the scuffle went back to their business.

  Caleb’s gaze raked Lily’s top, he
r breasts, and rose to her face, effectively pinning her in place. Red spiraled across his rugged cheekbones, and his nostrils flared. “So. Rumor has it you want to get laid.”

  Chapter Two

  Caleb forced himself to keep his gaze on Lily’s stunning midnight eyes, which wasn’t nearly as difficult as he’d feared, considering the creamy breasts spilling out of the bustier. Sweet, gentle, classy Lily Sotheby wore a bustier.

  Who the fuck would’ve thought it?

  He hadn’t kissed her in over three centuries, but even now, he remembered her taste. Strawberries and woman.

  The brand on his neck that marked him as a prophet began to burn, and he rubbed his nape out of habit. “You want to get to it right here or go outside?” he asked, wanting more than anything to see her light up in anger again.

  Instead, she gave the small, polite smile he truly hated. “Funny, Caleb. Did you wish to discuss the meeting tomorrow, or shall we be on our way?”

  “Actually, I’d like to tug that bustier down and see the rest of you.” The words emerged before he could stop them and held much more truth than he’d like.

  Her classic chin lifted, and her polite smile widened. “Really, Caleb. Let’s keep it to business.”

  His temper began to stir. “Business?” He glanced around the now quiet bar. “You bring the king’s niece, the woman the entire world wants either dead or kidnapped, to a dive bar so you can scratch an itch? How is that business?” And why the hell didn’t she knock on his door if she wanted to explore sex? An unwelcome hurt slid through his anger. No. That was just pride, damn it. He didn’t still have feelings for the woman.

  Lily sighed the long-suffering exhale of a prophet. “On second thought, our venturing out into the world may have been a bad idea.”