The woman wasn’t faking exhaustion. Theo carried her through his apartment to the master bedroom after driving more than an hour to get through the city. She’d fallen asleep before he’d even put her in his car.
She slept soundly against him, her small body curled against his chest. The witch brought out feelings in him he really didn’t like, and he couldn’t exactly blame her since all she was doing was sleeping. It was the one true time he knew she wasn’t trying to manipulate him, and yet, he wanted nothing more than to protect her and keep her safe. How did she do that?
More importantly, what the hell was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she create fire?
He laid her down on the bed and then sighed, looking at her sopping wet clothing while switching on the bedside lamp. “Ginny? Wake up.”
She didn’t even stir. Surprisingly long lashes swept down her pale cheeks, and in sleep, her pink lips were relaxed and tipped up. Even out cold, she somehow smiled as if she knew a secret.
Why he liked that, he’d never know.
All right. If he left her in the wet dress, she’d freeze all night. But he couldn’t just take off her clothes. Damn it. He ran a hand through his hair, scattering soot.
He’d been with more women than he could count, but this one was one of a kind. He didn’t like that. Lifting her too easily with one arm, he drew back the covers and set her on her butt, her head leaning into his stomach. His dick instantly hardened to rock. Damn it. Forcing himself to relax, he deftly untied the corset and drew it off before laying her back down and quickly covering her with the bedclothes. Her thin panties could remain on. No way was he removing those.
She murmured something and turned toward him.
He pushed her hair away from her face, noting the silky softness, even with soot in it. But the mass had dried into tumbling curls. Figured she’d have naturally curly hair. “God was kind to you, darlin’,” he murmured, running a knuckle down her smooth cheek. “Way too kind.”
Yet what was going on?
Her pulse beat steadily in her neck, so she was unharmed at least. She sniffed and turned the other way, revealing the darkening bruise along the other side of her face.
Anger caught him in the chest. Hard. He should’ve ripped the head off the witch who’d hit her. An eight-story fall wasn’t bad enough. He rubbed his finger across the heated bruise. Why hadn’t she healed it earlier? There had been plenty of time before she’d fallen asleep. “What aren’t you telling me?” He dropped to his haunches, smoothing her hair back again.
Then he examined her neck, making sure he hadn’t hurt her when he’d grabbed her. Apparently she bruised easily. His chest loosened at seeing there were no bruises on her neck.
He paused. Wait a minute. He looked closer. There were no markings on her neck. Not a one. The woman had been mated, or so he thought. There would still be a bite, even from a witch. Matings were forever…until recently. A virus had been discovered that could negate the mating bond—at least when one of the mates had passed on, as Ginny’s had. She had said she’d taken the virus and could be mated again. But he’d thought… Maybe he’d been wrong.
Thinking of oddities… He moved down the bed, not far, and reached for her ankle, pulling it out of the bed while making sure to keep the rest of her covered.
A anklet of diamonds and gold spikes encircled her left ankle tightly. Leather held it together, and there didn’t seem to be a clasp. How did she get it off? He rubbed her ankle, and she moaned. He paused. What in the world? Looking closer, he could see a slight green ring around her skin.
Was she so vain she’d let her skin turn green to keep diamonds on? Or did the piece have sentimental value? Perhaps it had been from her mate.
Why that made Theo’s chest hurt, he had no clue. He set her ankle back beneath the covers and turned to head for the master bathroom. After a very quick and hot shower, he was feeling more in control. Oh, he’d let her sleep tonight, but in the morning she was going to tell him everything.
He strode naked into his bedroom and drew on some sweats. She didn’t stir, her breathing even and deep as she slept. He shook his head, heading into his living room and double-checking his security measures.
There was no way he could just go to sleep right now. It was nearly three in the morning, which made it midnight in northern Idaho. Hoping he wasn’t making a colossal mistake, he booted up his television set, put in a series of codes, and sent out a call to the Realm Headquarters. The Realm was a coalition of witches, vampires, demons, and shifters. Its leader, vampire king Dage Kayrs, slowly took shape. “What the hell, Reese?” the king asked, his dark hair mussed and his silver eyes irritated. He stood bare to the waist with a rock-type wall behind him.
Theo winced. “Sorry. Thought you might be up.”
“Are you being attacked or do you need immediate assistance?” Dage’s eyes cleared.
“Ah, no.” Theo dropped into a chair and rubbed his scruffy chin. He should’ve shaved in the shower. “I was hoping the queen was up and working.” The queen was a brilliant geneticist who worked around the clock trying to cure human diseases. Of course, she was at least four or five months pregnant, so she probably needed her sleep.
“I’m up.” Emma Kayrs passed near the camera and slid an arm around Dage’s waist. The queen’s dark hair was piled on her head, and she wore what looked like Star Trek pajamas. Her belly protruded, and she rubbed it. “How are you, Theo?”
“I’m a jerk,” he said. “I shouldn’t have called so late.”
Dage ran a hand down Emma’s arm. “I see you got out of the hotel fire safely. How is Ginny O’Toole?”
Theo’s mouth gaped open. He shook his head. “How did you know?” Surely news of his night hadn’t already reached Idaho.
Dage rolled his eyes.
Emma grinned. “He’s the king. Don’t make him say it. The. King.”
Theo bit back a smile. “Oh, yeah. Well, since I have you, does a mating mark disappear when a former mate takes the virus?”
Emma’s startling blue eyes brightened like they did every time anybody wanted to talk science with her. “No. Never. The bite mark stays in place.” She leaned into Dage more. “But the mating brand, the ones from the Kayrs family, demons, and witches… That does disappear.”
“Are you sure?” Theo asked, his mind spinning.
“Definitely.” The queen nodded her head vigorously. “Why?”
Theo cleared his throat. “Because Ginny doesn’t have a mark on her neck.” He frowned. “Though witches don’t—”
“Witches do,” the queen interrupted. “All male immortals have fangs, even witches, and they bite during the mating process. If Ginny doesn’t still have bite marks…”
“Then she was never mated,” Theo finished, shocked he could find more anger in him than before. “I can’t believe it.”
Dage’s eyes twinkled. “Things are about to get interesting now, aren’t they?”
* * * *
Somebody was chasing her. Ginny ducked low and ran, her feet flying over the invisible ground. They were coming. After all this time, she was going to lose. God. She couldn’t lose.
Theo. He would help her. He had to.
She turned a corner, suddenly surrounded by trees. Dark and high, they loomed over her, providing warning. No shelter or protection. No. She didn’t get those. But warning. That was a nice change.
Something crashed into the brush behind her.
She yelped and ran harder, but the grass grew into weeds. They held her fast, not letting her move. Oh, no. It was too late. She opened her mouth and screamed.
“Whoa.” Warmth and strength encircled her. “Wake up, lady. You’re having a bad dream.”
She jerked awake, her head hitting something hard. Pain flashed through her skull.
“Damn it,” Theo said, wrapping a hand in her hair and pulling her away.
Oh. She’d hit his chin with her head. “Sorry.” She reached up to rub her forehead.
“You okay?” He loosened his hold, his eyes glowing in the dim light.
She blinked. Bed. She was in bed with Theo Reese. He smelled fresh and clean and male. A shadow covered his hard jaw, and his hard cut chest was bare. Oh, goodness. Did he have any clothing on? She stilled. Did she? She looked down. Nope. “You, ah, you took my clothes off.” Her heart started to race.
“They were wet and dirty.” He released her hair and smoothed his hand down her arm. “I didn’t look.” His teeth sparkled with his grin.
She blinked. Her brain went fuzzy. The bed was soft and the sheets luxurious. The world smelled strong and good…like him. “Why, I mean how, is there a light on?”
He slowly nodded. “Bathroom light. I thought you might be confused when you awoke, so I left the light on.”
Now wasn’t that sweet? Her body went all mushy, and she was too relaxed to stop it. “Thank you.”
“That was quite the nightmare you were having,” he rumbled.
She snorted. “That was nothing, believe me.”
His gaze narrowed. “Really. Do you often have horrific dreams?”
Was that a weakness? She couldn’t let him get that close. “No.”
His lips thinned. “I thought we already discussed lying versus telling the truth. Stop lying to me.”
Her chest felt heavy. The vampire had saved her from an attack squad, and he’d brought her to his home to keep safe. Then he’d left the light on for her so she wouldn’t be scared. Liars really ticked him off, apparently. “Fine, Theo. I won’t lie to you again.” She meant every word.
His head lifted just slightly. “Do you have nightmares often?”
That was the question he’d wanted to start with? She should move away from him, but the male was all heat, and she was still cold. “Yes.”
“About what?” he murmured, his gaze searching deep.
She breathed out. “Somebody chasing me. Torturing me. Killing me.” It was difficult, but she forced a smile. “Normal scary dreams, you know?”
He studied her. “Who’s chasing you?”
“Everybody bad,” she said softly. “In the dream, I was looking for you.” Heat rose to her face, making her cheeks hurt. “I mean, after last night, when you saved me, I guess that makes sense.” Could she sound any more like a wimp? The idea caught her up short. When had she wanted to look strong to him? That wasn’t her skill, darn it. “Thank you for saving me last night.”
“You’re welcome.” He rubbed a gentle finger across her aching cheekbone. “Who was after you?”
“I don’t know.” She lifted a shoulder and then caught the sheet before it fell off her chest. “Could be anybody.” Oh, she had an idea, but with her past, it really could be anybody. When was the last time she’d been in bed with a sexy, tousled male? It had been a while. And she’d bet her last pair of high heels that she’d never been this close to anybody this masculine. “I had a crush on you. Way back when,” she confessed.
His eyes flared. “Then why seduce my brother?”
She winced. “I didn’t seduce your brother. We were friends, and he was halfway to the high seas when we briefly dated. We shared one kiss, and it was like kissing…my brother. If I had one.” Memories flooded her, and she smiled. “We were so young. So silly.”
“Was it a cover?” Theo asked, once again threading his fingers through her hair.
Warmth tingled over her scalp. Her breath caught. “Yes. I was in Ireland to steal the McDougall emeralds.”
Theo stiffened. “That was you?”
“Aye,” she said, missing her homeland all of a sudden. “McDougall had stolen them first, which you probably already knew. I just stole them back for the original owners.” A sweet little couple from way up north. They had them hidden to this day. “My da and I were a good team.” Lord, she missed him. So very much. She had to succeed in this mission. No matter what.
“I’m sorry about your father. I heard he passed during the last war,” Theo said quietly, caressing through her hair.
Sadness tried to take her, and she banished it, considering she wasn’t telling the whole truth. “Yes. We were moving guns for the demons, and he ran afoul of some Kurjan soldiers.” Then her life had taken a decidedly bad turn. “It’s been ten years, and I still think he’s going to call me up with a job.” Of course, he wasn’t really dead. But Theo didn’t know that.
“What about your so-called mate?” Theo leaned in, his nose near to hers. “I know you never mated.”
She brightened. “That was the only way I could get Jared to go follow his dream and be a pirate. He was so honorable. One kiss, and he thought I needed protection for life.” She cleared her throat. “At first, I had a lifetime of debts to repay because of my dad’s gambling. But he stopped gambling and we worked together. So breaking and entering, robbing and bribing, became, well, fun.”
“Fun?” Theo growled.
“Yes.” If Theo got any closer, his mouth would be on hers. Her thighs moved restlessly. Aye, she’d wondered through the years about him. Now he was so damn close. Did she have the courage to take a nip? “Let’s not talk about your brother when we’re in bed, Theo.”
“Why not?” he asked, his voice hoarse.
“Because of this.” Finally, she moved forward and kissed him.