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  “Technically?”

  He shrugged. “The reversal has only worked on mates who’ve been widowed for centuries and not from currently living mates.”

  “Has anyone still living and mated tried?”

  “No.”

  This was all so unbelievable. “Isn’t there somebody else who could mate Ronni?” Not that Ronni would probably agree, anyway.

  “My mission, my duty.” He lifted a shoulder the size of a small mountain. “It’s how it works.”

  Olivia kicked an imaginary pebble. “I want to save my friend, but I don’t want to force you into a forever relationship with somebody you’ve never met.” With somebody that wasn’t Olivia. Geez. She had it bad for the guy.

  “A lot of matings are arranged, so it’s not unheard of in my culture.” His gaze pierced hers and deep. “I do have one condition.”

  Tingles exploded throughout her abdomen. “Which is?” she croaked.

  “One night with you.”

  Her entire body stopped moving, and her heart probably stilled for just a second. “You want to sleep with me as a condition?”

  “There won’t be any sleeping.”

  She slowly shook her head. “You’re trying to blackmail me for sex?”

  “It’s extortion, not blackmail. And you tried to extort me first.”

  This was all just way too insane. “I can’t sleep with you and then have you sleep with my best friend for life.”

  “Like I said, there won’t be any sleeping. Look at it like different lifetimes…Ronni won’t be here any longer if I mate her, and your friendship will be over.”

  Olivia blinked. “Why won’t she be here?”

  “My mate?” Both of his eyebrows rose. “She’ll be somewhere safe at headquarters whether she likes it or not.”

  The possessive tone did very unnerving things throughout Olivia’s body, the least of all creating a little jealousy. “I can’t ask you to mate forever, even to save my friend. Besides, there has to be a cure out there. Your people must have incredible resources, and I’m sure they could find one to save a heart.”

  “Perhaps.” Chalton rubbed his chin. “But I doubt it. The queen works brutal hours trying to cure diseases, and so far she hasn’t succeeded with human ones.” He dodged forward and tossed Olivia over his shoulder again.

  “What are you doing?” she squawked, once again looking down at his fine ass.

  “Done talking.” Turning, he began to move through the living room.

  Well that didn’t sound good.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Chalton strode for the bedroom, a wiggly woman over his shoulder and fire in his heart. It would be his duty to mate Ronni, but every cell in his body protested vehemently.

  He’d never believed in fate, and he sure as hell didn’t believe in soul mates.

  Yet having Olivia in the same space as him felt right. When she laughed, he could actually feel the humor, and when she seemed sad, every urge he owned pushed him to make it right.

  Was she his?

  If so, how could he mate her best friend? How could he mate anybody? Maybe he couldn’t. There had to be something…more. In order to mate, there had to be that something that mated vampires couldn’t even explain.

  He didn’t have the words, either…but he felt it for the woman now struggling to get off his shoulder. “Knock it off.” He jostled her just enough to illustrate her precarious position.

  She stilled.

  He’d never drop her, but the threat was there, now wasn’t it? She didn’t know him well enough to understand he’d break every bone in his body before allowing her to get even a bruise. Good thing, too. The woman would certainly use that to her advantage.

  He strode through the long entrance to the bedroom and dropped her onto the larger than life four-poster bed. She bounced and quickly scooted up to the headboard, her eyes wide.

  And interested.

  He sighed. “I also should tell you that the mating with Ronni might not work.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I’m interested in somebody else, and none of us really understand how or why we mate who we do. Some believe in fate.”

  Her hands curled into the thick bedspread. “Who are you interested in?” The tone came out accusatory and a little hurt.

  He frowned. “You.”

  She blinked and her lips formed a slight O. “We just met.”

  “That doesn’t seem to matter to vampires,” he said wryly.

  “I’m not easy,” she spat out, seeming to be arguing with both of them.

  He threw back his head and laughed. “Livy? I know everything about you, including past lovers. Believe me, your number is ridiculously small for somebody so gorgeous.”

  Her shoulders went back. “Oh yeah? What’s your number?”

  He lost his smile and fought the urge to shuffle his feet. “You don’t want to know.”

  “Yeah, I do.”

  “Too bad. I’ve lived more than three hundred years, darlin’, and I’ve had many careers…not once as a monk.” Though every woman he’d ever met paled to nothing compared to the spitfire glaring at him.

  His cell phone dinged, and he answered it. “Chalton.”

  “What the hell is going on?” Dage Kayrs growled clearly over the line.

  Chalton kept Livy in his sight. “I’m not sure. This may be an attack on my family through Olivia. We’re investigating. Also, the Kurjans are involved.”

  “Can’t blame them,” Dage ground out. “The first two articles more than hint at our world. Is the woman cooperating?”

  “No.” Chalton eyed her.

  “Make her.”

  “Right.”

  Dage sighed. “Shall I talk to her?”

  Temper, rare and hot, roared through Chalton. “You want to? Sure. Give me a second.” He turned and typed in several commands on his phone, illuminating the massive flat-screen television across from the bed. Dage slowly took shape.

  “King Dage Kayrs, please meet journalist Olivia Roberts,” Chalton said dryly.

  Olivia kept her arms crossed. “So you’re the vampire king.”

  Dage’s dark hair was ruffled, and his silver eyes pissed, but he looked every inch the badass soldier he’d always been, even in a dark shirt with pressed black pants. “Rumor has it. Why won’t you give us your research and source’s name?”

  “Because I want to protect my source and blackmail you into saving my friend,” Olivia said calmly while facing one of the most dangerous beings on the entire planet.

  Chalton bit back a grin as Dage stopped moving and focused carefully. “I see.”

  Chalton edged a little closer to Olivia in case he needed to intervene. “You’ve read the reports and know about Ronni Alexander,” she said.

  “Yes. Heart disease. We can’t fix that,” Dage said evenly, his gaze not leaving Olivia’s.

  “I could mate her,” Chalton responded.

  “Oh, hell no,” came an explosion from off camera before Dage’s mate, Emma Kayrs, shoved her way into view. “You are mating for love and no other reason.”

  The queen had piled her dark hair atop her head and wore her customary white lab coat over T-shirt and jeans. Her belly had slightly protruded as her second trimester had begun.

  “How are you feeling, Emma?” Chalton asked softly.

  “Huge, but I’m not throwing up any longer,” Emma said cheerfully, her curious gaze seeking out Olivia. “There will be no arranged mating.”

  Olivia scooted to the edge of the bed. “You’re the queen? The scientist?”

  “That’s me.” Emma leaned into Dage’s side as if she belonged just there, which she did.

  The king instantly softened somehow, putting an arm around his mate.

  “Good. With all of your resources, you must be able to prevent heart failure,” Olivia pressed, her concern riding the airwaves around her.

  Emma frowned. “No, I’m sorry. I’ve been trying to mutate some of our research to cure
cancer, but I haven’t even been able to do that yet. The human body and diseases are so much stronger than current research.” She sighed. “I’m very sorry.”

  Olivia sat back, her shoulders slumping. “She’s telling the truth.”

  Emma’s gaze sharpened. “Are you enhanced?”

  “Apparently,” Olivia muttered.

  Emma glanced from Olivia to Chalton and then back again. “Well, isn’t this interesting?”

  Amusement glimmered in Dage’s silver eyes. “Yes.”

  Emma pressed both hands to her hips and leaned toward the camera. “How are you even considering mating somebody else when, well, it’s so obvious, Chalton.”

  One did not just tell the queen of the Realm to bugger off and mind her own business. “Nothing is obvious, Queen Kayrs,” Chalton said gently.

  She snorted. “You only call me that when you’re irritated and trying to deflect.”

  Dage rolled his eyes. “Stop teasing Chalton. He doesn’t have a sense of humor.”

  “Yes, he does,” Olivia shot back. “He’s very funny.”

  Emma’s mouth dropped open, and Dage’s cheek creased in a half-smile.

  Emma turned to her mate. “Oh, this is fun.”

  Dage nodded and then sobered. “Seriously. How much danger are you in, and should I send backup? Talen has returned from Iceland, and he’s pissy I sent you on a mission without him.”

  Chalton’s chest warmed. He had two families—his brothers and the Realm. “Tell Talen I can handle my own mission.”

  “He knows that but feels left out.” Dage spoke to Olivia. “Talen is my brother and our strategic planner, and he’s the sensitive one around here.”

  Chalton chuckled. Talen was about as sensitive as a brick chimney. “Tell him to take up yoga and relax.”

  Dage laughed. “Talen and yoga? I’d pay a small fortune to see that.” His smile slid away. “Seriously. How are you doing?”

  Ah. There was the meddling, pain in the ass, too worried king that was more of a friend. “I’m fine, Dage. I haven’t had to kill anybody, and the reunion with my brothers only involved a few bruises.”

  “Good.” Dage studied him, probing deep. “It’s time you made up with your brothers.”

  “I know.” Chalton fought against the dull needle pricking his brain. The king was trying to read his mind. “Get the fuck out of my head.”

  Emma slapped Dage.

  Dage shrugged. “Just checking. Good mental block, by the way.”

  “Thanks.”

  Olivia glanced from one to the other, looking a little dazed. “I think Chalton is fine—I mean, he was just trying to blackmail me into having sex with him.”

  Emma coughed, her eyes widening. “Chalton? Really?” Her gaze swung to him, and he could actually feel his face heating. “Was he successful?”

  “I haven’t decided,” Olivia said, a smile in her voice.

  Delight now filtered across Emma’s face, no doubt having just found another best friend. “Olivia, we really must get together when this is all over.”

  “I’d like that,” Olivia said.

  Concern darkened Dage’s eyes at the same rate it flew through Chalton’s veins. “Not a good idea,” Chalton muttered. Those two women together would wreak havoc.

  “Agreed,” Dage said thoughtfully.

  Ah, hell. Now the king was going to matchmake.

  Emma leaned forward to whisper, “You really should say yes. Even if it’s just for one night. Sex with a vampire is truly out of this world.”

  Dage exhaled heavily. “Chalton? Call me with updates.” With that, the screen went black.

  Olivia cleared her throat.

  “Who’s your source? Extortion doesn’t make sense any longer,” Chalton said, wanting nothing more than to get back to his regular routine at this point.

  She eyed him, emotion bright in her eyes. “They can’t fix Ronni.”

  “No.”

  “Well then. I guess I’ll take you up on your offer.”

  He rocked back. “My offer?” His voice came out hoarse, and his body roared into overdrive.

  “Yeah. I mean, I just discovered that life is a whole lot different than I thought, and I do like a good adventure.” She stood and turned to face him, her face flush with bravery and need. “I’ll take the night…without sleep.”

  What in the world was she doing? She’d just agreed to have sex with a vampire. In fact, forget the guy was a vampire. She’d just agreed to get naked and horizontal with the sexiest and probably the most dangerous man she’d ever met.

  They did it horizontally, right?

  “Why?” he asked, tossing the belt over his shoulder and moving toward her.

  The scent of man and the warmth of male washed over her. “I want to.” Sometimes life was as simple as that. Plus, her curiosity had gotten her far in life, and she just couldn’t turn it off. “Do we really have to have an in-depth conversation about this?” Geez. Kiss her already.

  “No. Just making sure this is what you want.” He lifted her against his torso, turning to stride toward the bathroom.

  “You’re strong,” she said breathlessly, grabbing his very bare chest for balance.

  He grinned. “You’re a lightweight, sweetheart.”

  She scoffed. “Not even close.” Did she really want to get naked with such male perfection? Nobody had ever called her petite. Or small. Or fit. “Wait. I’m not—”

  Then his mouth was on hers.

  Hot and deep, he commandeered her lips, sending her senses spiraling. She moaned low in her throat and kissed him back, or rather followed his lead.

  Still kissing her, he somehow reached into the shower and flipped on the water. Slowly, keeping her pressed against his muscled body, he allowed her to slide down him until her feet settled on the smooth tile.

  She broke the kiss, her mind turning to mush, her breath panting out. A sense way too sharp to be desire sliced through her, making her want him with a craving that should give her pause. But it was too late to pause.

  The look in his eyes was pure lust…and it was for her. He wanted her…all of her.

  Drawing courage from that look, she reached for the hem of her dress and yanked it over her head.

  The sound he made, low and guttural, vibrated through her body to land between her legs. “Beautiful,” he murmured, reaching out to snap the front clasp of her bra.

  Her breasts sprang free, and she shrugged out of the thin cotton.

  He shoved off his pants.

  Whoa. Okay. Vampires were built…really, really, really built. Hard and erect, he was ready to go.

  Heat breathed through her, and she glanced around as steam filled the opulent bathroom. Chandelier on the ceiling, marble everywhere, top of the line towels. “Um—”

  He drew her into the shower, and she groaned from the heated steam. Shower heads came at them from every direction, and she couldn’t help a small chuckle from escaping.

  He grinned and tugged her under the rain-shower head, which drenched her in decadent heat. Turning her around, he reached for a dispenser and filled his palms with shampoo before rubbing it through her hair.

  She closed her eyes and tilted back her head, pure pleasure rushing through her. He had great hands. Then they moved lower, down her spine, to her butt. Her eyes flashed open.

  Why hadn’t she started doing lunges like she’d planned last month? “Um—” She turned, surprised a little when he let her.

  “Um what?” he asked, shampooing his hair, his gaze never leaving hers. The suds ran down ripped muscles, corded everywhere, perfectly defined.

  “This is a bad idea,” she breathed, suddenly very aware of every dimple and curve she hadn’t been able to banish. Edging to the side, she began to reach for the glass shower door, ready to flee.

  “Oh, there’s no running, little girl,” he murmured, catching her arm and planting her against the tile. “If you don’t want me or like me, then you’re free to go. But if you’re saying thi
ngs in your head that you really shouldn’t say about yourself, then we’re going to have a problem.” He stepped right into her, so male and sure. “And you really don’t want that kind of a problem with me.” One knuckle lifted her chin.

  She swallowed. How could a threat sound so sexy? “I can think what I want.”

  He chuckled. “I thought so.” Slowly, definitely deliberately, he set both hands around her waist and lifted her until they were eye to eye. “Put your legs around me.”

  She gulped and did what he’d said.

  “Good.” He leaned in, his breath brushing her lips. “If you were mine, I’d make you walk around naked all the time until you actually started to enjoy it and have the confidence such a beautiful woman should have.”

  Well. Sweet, and definitely sexy, but come on. Normally she was just fine with her confidence level, but being naked with perfection would rock anybody for a moment or two. “I don’t need you to save me, Chalton. I’m fine.”

  He grinned against her mouth. “We all need saving once in a while.”

  Sweet. She liked him sweet. She leaned in and licked along his bottom lip, tasting salt and man.

  His broad chest hitched.

  Yeah. Power for the girl. She’d show him confidence. Her knees clasped his hips, and she dug both hands into his thick hair, taking his mouth. He allowed her to play, letting her go deep, before taking over and kissing her so hard her head was against the tile by the time he let her breathe.

  Wow.

  He flipped off the water and stepped from the shower, still carrying her like she weighed nothing. As if to prove his point, he flipped her around once before setting her on her feet.

  She grabbed for his forearms to steady herself.

  “Let’s dry you off,” he rumbled, reaching for a towel to thoroughly, very thoroughly, dry her head to toe, lingering in the good spots. Finally, she was on so much fire, she just grabbed the towel and dropped it. “Enough foreplay.”

  He fetched another towel, dried off faster than possible, and lunged. Within seconds, they’d cleared the bathroom and she found herself on her back on the bed with a heated vampire over her.

  She reached up and smoothed back his thick hair. “You’re beautiful,” she whispered.