“I think you’re feeling better. Don’t you?” she quipped.

“Just a bit.” He smirked down at her. “Once you’ve eaten we can get you cleaned up and have some new clothes delivered and we can, of course, talk some more.”

“Yes,” she stepped back, “we have a lot to discuss. I admit to feeling this . . . attraction between us too, but I need more information. A lot more before I commit my entire life to you.”

He knew it was reasonable. Of course it was. But hearing her say the words felt as if she were ripping his heart out. Victor hid his emotion well. Simply inclining his head. “Of course.”

Then he spied a stray white feather in her hair. Reaching up to pluck it free, he held it in his fingers. Seeing the spots of blood marring the perfection of the dove’s feather and the vision of the scene where he’d found her flashed before his eyes. The horror of seeing her so vulnerable and in such a dangerous situation had almost been his undoing. The feather in his fingers hurled him right back to that moment in time and caused his breathing to speed up as terror overtook him at how close he’d come to losing her.

A soft caress on his cheek, followed quickly by her voice broke through his nightmare. “It’s all right. I’m safe and here with you.”

She’d known. His Bloodmate had known what the feather had done to him. Without a word spoken, Kimber had known and calmed him with the briefest touch and a few words. Victor reached up to cover her hand with his. “Thank you,” he said simply.

“That’s okay.” She gave a brief shake of her head as if to clear it. “I’m not sure what’s happening but it’s as if I can feel what’s going on inside you. I could feel your abject terror and I just knew you were right back to when you arrived and found me with those asshole Wolves and that Elf.”

“Oh, that’s right, sweetie,” Nellie broke in. “It’ll only get stronger the longer you’re together. It works a little differently with Bloodmates of other species but I suspect because you’re a Dragon and already in tune with nature and other animals . . . sorry, Victor, I’m not saying you’re an animal, just that you’re mate here is more attune to others, that she and you will be able to feel each other’s emotions.”

“Excuse me?” Victor spun around to face Nellie. “Tell me, Nellie, how do you know what Kimber is? I don’t remember telling you she’s a Dragon.”

Nellie gave him a wide smile and a shake of her head. “Now, Victor, I’m Fae, and an old one at that. Your lovely girl here isn’t the first Dragon I’ve come across. In fact, she’s not even the second or third. I’ve met a few in my time, the Scottish Highland’s used to have a fair few when I was a youngster. Sadly, that’s no longer the case, but I knew as soon as she arrived that she was a Dragon, and I also know that she’ll be in tune with you much more than any other being. So, now that’s out of the way, I’ve got a good breakfast all ready for Miss Kimber.”

“I’m starving.” Kimber’s nose twitched as the aroma wafted toward them but before they could take a step the front door banged open.

Flint whirled around, a snarl on his face, fangs already descended and ready for battle as he sped toward the doorway. Victor snatched Kimber, pushing her behind him, his own fangs down and his hands up and ready to blast whoever dared to breach his home. The voice that accompanied the whirlwind halted him, and Flint, in their steps.

“Is it true? Tell me now! Right this minute!” Suzette demanded. “Where is she? Come on, guys, tell me it’s true.”

Flint let out a curse, retracting his fangs and running a hand over his head. “Shit! Suzette, are you crazy? Do you know how close you came to having your throat ripped out?”

Suzette rushed forward hitting Flint’s chest with her small hand. “Pfft, don’t be so dramatic. Now, tell me if it’s true? The security detail isn’t talking but it’s all over the news and there’s pictures everywhere! I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I mean, it was you, Victor. Not Flint making a spectacle of himself.”

She stopped, looking between them, her eyes wide as saucers as Flint scowled at her and huffed out, “Hey.”

“It’s true, Flint, and you know it. It’s usually your mess I’m having to clean up.” Her head swung back to him, her words tumbling out quickly. “Damn, Victor, they have you on every channel racing through Central Park like a man possessed with Flint here and a bevy of guards. How the hell am I supposed to spin that? And if that’s not all, they then have you coming back with a bundle in your arms all covered up and the rumors have it that you rescued a woman from a mugging or something. Come on! Tell me what the hell is going on? Because I have to get on top of this before things get totally crazy. I mean, I’m good, but I need to know what angle to take on this, and I need to start now, before it gets out of hand. If you did rescue this person, I can get you both in front of the cameras within an hour and she can tell her story about how you were the hero . . . yes! That’s how we’ll do this. Victor Strong, the hero that saved the day. Right. Where is she? I have to get her cleaned up and presentable to be put in front of the media. Is she okay? Is she literate? Can she string a sentence together? She’s not an addict, is she? A drunk? Damn, please say she’s not. I can’t work with that if she is, Victor. I don’t have the time to sort her out and have her talk to any presenter. Shit! What have you done?”

Victor let her ramble, knowing it was no use to try and interrupt her, but he could feel Kimber becoming annoyed as Suzette carried on until she finally emerged from behind him, hands on her hips and glowering over at his PA.

“Excuse me, just who the hell are you? And for your information, I am neither an addict nor a drunk and I was not being mugged. I was being hunted by two Werewolves and an Elf wielding dark magic. I’d like to see how you’d fare against those odds in your tight dress and heels so damn high you couldn’t run to save yourself!”

Kimber’s hair had fallen over her face and she huffed out a breath to blow it out of her eyes. Victor thought it was the cutest thing he’d ever seen and fought to hide the smile that tugged at his lips knowing it wasn’t the time and would most probably anger her further. His eyes swung to Suzette, her face a picture as she stared at Kimber, her mouth hung open and her eyes wide and full of shock.

It took her a moment or two to collect herself, but finally she stepped forward, her cheeks blushing scarlet. “I’m so sorry. I’m Suzette, Victor’s PA and the one who’s going to have to handle the fallout of his madness earlier. I didn’t realize the seriousness of your situation and no, I certainly couldn’t handle that kind of thing at all. I’d break my ankle in the first five seconds, or more likely fall flat on my face and scream my head off.”

“No, you wouldn’t.” Flint joined them. “You’d do what you’ve been trained to do and press your wrist which would then alert us that you were in a nine-one-one situation and we’d come get you.”

Suzette looked over her shoulder at him, shrugging. “Well, yeah, there is that.”

Kimber frowned, not understanding so Flint filled her in. “We have some high-tech gadgets inside us, just here,” he tapped the inside of his right wrist, “and if we’re in serious trouble we can activate it by pressing on it hard, twice. It then sends a signal alerting the security detail that the person needs immediate assistance. It sends their coordinates and a team is dispatched to their location.”

“Really? I’ve never heard of such a thing,” Kimber asked skeptically.

“I own a few companies that develop military grade technology and this piece of equipment is an item that I have not made available to anyone else.” Victor shrugged. “I’m not sure who I’ll provide it to just yet. It’s still in its infancy, but so far, it’s working at one hundred percent accuracy. I’ve tested it with several charities who’ve sent workers into dangerous warzones and it’s saved a few lives so far. I’ve also tested it on high risk kidnapping victims and again, it’s worked there too, twice in fact.”

“Shoot, that’s impressive.” Kimber clucked her teeth.

“We’ll get one in you too, the sooner the better,” Flint stated matter of factly. “Just to ensure your safety.”

“I’ll decide on that,” she replied curtly.

Victor was on the verge of arguing when Nellie interrupted, “Breakfast. It’s getting cold, come on, Kimber.”

Kimber’s stomach rumbled as she gave Nellie a smile. “Thank you, I’m really hungry, so yes, food sounds wonderful right now.”

Suzette rushed over. “Mind if I join you?”

Victor watched as Kimber scrutinized Suzette before she shrugged. “It’s Victor’s home, ask him.”

He smirked as Suzette frowned at Kimber’s reply before she answered, “Oh, in that case, I’m sure he won’t mind. I have breakfast here often when we have morning meetings and it’ll give me the opportunity to discuss what the heck I’m going to do to try and deal with this PR fiasco. Come on, Victor, we need to sort this out and I hope you have some clever ideas for me to use because I can’t give them a story full of Werewolves and an Elf running rampant in New York City.”