Alek honestly tried to pay attention to Luka and Dmitri the next morning as they filled him in with facts they’d learned about the world around him, but his thoughts were still on Talia.

He listened to his friends, hoping they couldn’t sense that something was off with him. He was interested in everything they said, yet the man in him could only think about that kiss.

He’d kissed other women in his life. He knew that it couldn’t be the first time. Yet, despite his drunkenness, despite his triumph over the other males, something inside him had reacted as if that particular kiss was like nothing he’d ever felt before.

She’d melted against him, too, which was so unexpected, as she was usually asking questions or telling him not to call himself lord of winter. If he’d thought for a moment, he might have worried she wouldn’t be receptive.

Perhaps they’d both been simply caught up in the moment. If so, why was he affected so much?

He slumped, cheek in hand, and tuned in to what Luka was saying.

“No one knows about the existence of any kind of supernatural being. I believe they would be called shifters, no matter the animal. If they are around, they are completely separate from humans, except in some fiction.”

“I see,” Alek said. So how would he ever tell Talia about himself? Or was that even in the cards?

“You don’t need a fire to heat things,” Dmitri said, gnawing on a Hot Pocket. “There is a box called a microwave, and foods that go inside it are plentiful and easy to purchase.”

“There are simply stores,” Luka said. “One only needs gold, converted to money.”

“Interesting,” Alek said, though his mind could only think of Talia’s eyes, glazed over in pleasure, her lips swollen from his kiss.

But he had to keep focused. He had to learn about this world and conquer it. He had to make it safe for any of his subjects… He had to…

He put a hand to his head, emitting a low groan.

Luka sat up immediately. “My lord, is something wrong?”

Alek didn’t want to worry his friends or his subjects. They depended on his strength, his leadership. He hardly wanted them to fuss over a small physical problem. “No, I drank much last night and am feeling the effects of it.”

Dmitri and Luka eyed him warily.

“It’s not like you to be groggy from drink,” Dmitri said, narrowing his sea-blue eyes.

“Human grog here is quite… potent,” Alek replied, turning to look out the window. “You may continue with your report.”

Luka looked as if he was about to when they heard footsteps coming down the hall.

That would be Chelle, Talia’s roommate. Alek fought back a flush, wondering if Talia had said anything to Chelle before she’d left this morning.

Talia had slipped out before Alek was even up, so he hadn’t had time to ask her how she was doing, how she was feeling.

Things he was beginning to care about very much.

Why did he get the feeling that was unusual for him?

Chelle yawned and stretched, drawing Dmitri’s attention to her large chest, while Luka averted his eyes. She smiled at them blearily, having just woken up.

As far as Alek could see, she was the exact opposite of Talia, and not just in looks. True, she had yellow-blond hair to her shoulders that was always fluffy and full and green-brown eyes that always looked relaxed. And a small, curved body that seemed to flow as she walked.

But she also seemed to worry about nothing, thinking about nothing but the current moment, and cause Talia trouble at times.

Yet she’d been helping them, and Talia clearly trusted her, so that said something.

If Talia had trusted her with info about what had happened between her and Alek last night, Chelle showed no signs of it.

Instead, she walked over to a machine, turned it on, and poured water in it, singing a song about “hot chocolate in the morning.”

Dmitri looked at her with a broad smile, and Alek peered at him thoughtfully. He’d have to watch and make sure his bodyguard didn’t do anything stupid.

Chelle sat down across from them as Luka scowled, clearly unhappy to be interrupted. Chelle didn’t seem to be at all aware she had disturbed anything and happily lifted a mug of some kind of brown liquid in her hands. “So how are y’all doing this morning?” She took a sip of her hot chocolate right after she asked.

“We—”

Luka was about to answer, but at that moment, Chelle’s face went white and she sputtered, setting the mug down as she fanned her mouth with her hand. “Hot! Hot!” She ran to the sink and turned on some water, presumably to cool off her tongue.

“That one is always in trouble,” Dmitri said, but his smile said that was a bonus to him for some reason Alek couldn’t make out.

“Thorry,” Chelle called to them over her shoulder. “I alwayth make it too hoth.”

Alek didn’t like the thought of Talia’s roommate in pain, so without thinking, he quickly waved his hand in the direction of her mug, which was still steaming.

To his surprise, ice crystals formed around it briefly before disappearing, and the steam slowly began to abate.

Luka and Dmitri stared excitedly.

“Master, it appears your powers are returning,” Luka whispered, ice-blue eyes frozen on the mug. “Chelle, come try your drink again.”

Dmitri looked like he was going to intervene, but Chelle walked over to them, shrugging.

“I mean, it usually doesn’t cool down that fast, but…” She took a sip, then smiled and drank more of the brown liquid, letting out a little sigh that Dmitri seemed to feel down to his toenails. “Ah, that’s just perfect.”

Alek met Dmitri’s and Luka’s eyes, silently knowing each of their thoughts.

If his powers were returning, even in a small way, did that mean they would soon be back to full force? Alek could hope.

Chelle finished her drink, gave each of them a hug over the shoulders, and headed back into her room to work without much drama.

When she was gone, Alek narrowed his eyes at Dmitri. “Don’t trifle with that one, do you hear me?”

Dmitri nodded absentmindedly. “I just find her interesting is all.”

“The last thing we need is your dick getting us into trouble,” Luka said.

“Fine, fine,” Dmitri said, putting both hands up. “Of course, I will obey any order Alek gives.” He leaned on the table conspiratorially. “More importantly, what do we think has caused the return of Alek’s powers?”

“Only a bit of them,” Luka said with a scoff. “But still.”

“What were you up to last night?” Dmitri asked, lowering his eyebrows.

Alek felt blood heat his face as he tried to decide how to respond. “I just went out for a drink. With Talia.”

“I know that,” Dmitri said. “But what happened while you were gone?”

“I, uh…” Alek rubbed the back of his neck, not really wanting to say anything. “I suppose, perhaps we bonded.”

Dmitri slapped his hand down on the table, rattling it. “I knew it. That’s our lord, progressing with any eligible female.”

Alek grimaced, not feeling like that was a good endorsement of him. Had that been who he was? It certainly wasn’t now. All of his thoughts rested on Talia.

“Are you smitten?” Luka asked doubtfully. “Your thoughts appear to be somewhere else.”

So they had noticed. “I do not know,” Alek said. “Everything has been so confusing.”

“Did anything else happen between you at the bar?”

“That is for me to know,” Alek said sharply, embarrassed by his own flush.

“If something did, then perhaps it is the reason for the return of your powers,” Dmitri said.

“Or perhaps it isn’t related at all,” Luka said. Though he was handsome, Luka spent almost all of his time worrying about Alek and didn’t cavort like Dmitri did with females. Luka also wasn’t likely to trust them, for reasons of his own.

“I don’t know,” Alek said. “But it is worth exploring.” He didn’t know if anything was related to Talia, but either way, it was an excuse to explore more of the fascinating feelings she was bringing up inside. If he was going to woo her further…

“I will need your help, please,” Alek said, standing abruptly as he addressed both Luka and Dmitri. “It might take a bit of time.”

Both men nodded and answered immediately. “Anything you need, my lord.”

* * *

As Talia ran IR spectrographs on some ice samples that had been delivered with Alek, she scolded herself for her foolishness the night before.

She’d drunk too much, for one thing, and her head was pounding and making it hard to focus on her tests. For another, she’d kissed the lord of winter…

Oh God, was she really at the point where she even called him that?

For some reason, despite his obvious lack of anything to rule, or any of the powers he claimed, it just kind of… fit him.

He took no prisoners, refused to listen to reason, stood up for what he believed in, and took what he wanted…

And last night, he had wanted her kiss.

She hadn’t even thought to refuse him. Even though she was a scientist, she’d gotten caught up in the alpha male battle taking place before her eyes. The feeling that she was some sort of prize to be won or defended was both shameful and a little gratifying at the same time.

She knew nothing like that would ever happen again.

Still, as hard as she tried to find anything remarkable about the ice that had frozen Alek and his friends, all she could think about was the way she’d felt when she’d been swept into Alek’s arms.

It wasn’t conducive to good research.

She walked to her main computer just as she heard a ding that signaled a new email.

Her mentor had finally responded, saying that he would be home sooner than she thought, maybe in just a few days.

She slumped in her chair, not sure if she should be relieved or horrified by the news. She’d kept her emails to him fairly vague, just said there were some unexpected findings.

But now she felt even more protective over Alek. She respected Dr. Henrick, but at the same time, she knew he was cutthroat, all about the discovery, and wouldn’t let a little thing like feelings come between him and a plaque at the Smithsonian.

She drummed her fingers on the desk, trying to figure out what to do.

Just then, her phone buzzed. She looked down at it, wondering who would be texting her right now. She’d told Chelle she didn’t want to be bothered unless there was an emergency at home.

It was the least Chelle could do since she was getting free rent this month in exchange for helping out.

But when she swiped to unlock her phone, she saw an unfamiliar number.

Aha! This device has been explained to me, and I can communicate with you at my leisure! From Alek.

She quickly added Alek to her contacts, wondering how the hell he’d gotten his hands on a phone. Clearly, he was adapting to the modern world quickly.

You don’t need to say “from Alek” from here on out. How did you get a phone and my number?

Her phone buzzed, and she looked down.

I ran errands with my cohorts, having seen this device on the TV, and your roommate gave me your number because I told her it was an emergency.

She bit her lower lip as she typed a reply. What’s wrong? What’s the emergency?

I need you to come somewhere with me.

Why? Are you hurt? Did something happen?

No, I believe I mean to ask you on what humans call a date.

She wrinkled her nose and fought back a giggle. So weird. Then she frowned, not knowing how to answer him. Scientists didn’t simply date their discoveries.

She was crossing lines that she knew not to cross, yet she was also in a situation no one had ever experienced, at least that she knew of. She rested her chin on her hand, thinking, as her phone buzzed again.

You will go on a date with me! The lord of winter commands it!

She snorted as she typed her response. Excuse me?!

There was a long pause then, as if even the lord of winter had been stymied, and she walked back over to look at her test results while she waited for her phone to buzz again.

Sure enough, it did.

I am sorry. I am used to giving orders. I have been informed that I was rude. I would be most gratified if you would join me for a night of victuals and amusement. There are things I would like to show you as well.

She sighed. Now he had her attention. And he was behaving as well, which made her more apt to go along with his plans.

What else did she have to do? After all, he was still recovering his memory, and as long as she kept him busy, he couldn’t be out in the world causing trouble.

At least, that was her excuse.

Deep down, she knew it had more to do with the way he kissed her and the possessive way he looked at her sometimes, as if he thought she didn’t know he was watching.

She bit her lower lip as she wrote her response. Okay. I’ll go. Where should I meet you and when?

The apartment. 6:30. See you there.

Wow. Just then, he’d sounded almost like a normal human.

She looked around her lab, seeing broken crates, damaged equipment, the remains of a fire, and everything else that proved he and this situation were anything but normal.

She pulled out a directory to start dialing undergrads to come in. If her mentor was coming back, she’d better make sure and get the place cleaned up. Plus, getting the lab back in shape would help distract her from the fact that she’d just said yes to a date with a man who thought he was the lord of winter.