WEDNESDAY MORNING, CHARLOTTE crawled out of bed at the ungodly hour of five a.m. Luckily, she only had to shower, as hair and makeup would be taken care of for her, but shooting started at nine a.m. sharp, so she was expected to be on set at seven.

She’d left enough time to pace herself, as the weather man had predicted rain. By the sound of water hitting her house, the forecast had been an understatement.

Walking out of the house as quietly as possible, she stalled on the porch when she saw Bruce’s car sitting in her driveway. He slipped from the driver’s side and opened an umbrella as he walked toward her. “Miss Whitmore, good morning.”

“Um, hi. What are you doing here?”

“Mr. MacMillan asked that I drive you to and from your shoot. You’re filming over the next few weeks, correct?”

Charlotte buttoned her coat. “Ah, yeah. It is, but I’m quite capable of driving myself. You don’t really need to go to any trouble.”

“It’s no trouble, miss. Please.” He held out the umbrella. “Allow me to take you.”

Really, Niall? My car does work quite nicely.

I know that, love, but I thought you might like the time to read your script or meditate, or perhaps even eat... breakfast awaits you in the car.

She smiled. His thoughtfulness was endearing. Did you get the information about my schedule from my mind?

I probably shouldn’t answer that question truthfully.

No, it’s probably not a good idea.

He chuckled. Enjoy yourself today, love.

Thanks. I will.

Charlotte smiled at Bruce and allowed him to guide her to the car, open the door for her, and wait with the umbrella as she slid inside. She saw a white paper bag and travel cup sitting on the seat beside her and took a minute to peek inside. A fresh blueberry muffin and non-fat latte made just the way she liked it. She buckled her seatbelt and ate as Bruce drove her into Portland, thinking how quickly she could get used to this.

Her thoughts turned to the events of the last couple of days. The Blake Harris story was the number one trending topic on every news and tabloid avenue. He’d made a public statement about how sorry he was and that he would be heading into rehab for a drinking addiction and to deal with emotional and anger issues.

Charlotte wondered how much of that was made up by his publicist. Blake wasn’t one to apologize out of the goodness of his heart, but if he thought he might lose a job or a paycheck, well, he’d grovel till the cows came home.

She sighed and sipped her latte. She wondered if Niall knew Thane Allen and if any of this was coincidence, or if Niall had intervened. She shook her head. No one but Donnie knew about her experience with Blake, so she dismissed that idea pretty quickly.

Bruce pulled into the shooting site and Charlotte handed her I.D. to the security guard, her contemplations distracted for the rest of the day. She focused on her part and did her best to stay “in the moment,” in an effort to enjoy herself.

* * *

“And, cut,” the director yelled. “That’s a wrap, people.”

Alec grabbed Charlotte and hugged her, lifting her off her feet. “Damn, girl. You’re amazing.”

Charlotte giggled and hugged him back. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

“Are you coming to the wrap party?”

She nodded. “Wouldn’t miss it.”

“Do you want to come with me and I’ll bring you back to your car later?”

She smiled. “Actually, I got a ride today, so do you mind taking me now and then dropping me home later?”

“Not at all,” he said.

“Perfect. I’ll just grab my stuff.” Charlotte headed back toward the trailer and called Bruce on the way.

“Miss Whitmore. Are you ready?”

“Hi, Bruce. I actually don’t need a ride home. I’m heading to a bar with some of the cast, and a friend will drive me home later.”

“I’m happy to drive you to the bar and pick you up.”

“No, that’s very sweet, but not necessary,” she reiterated.

“Let me run that by Mr. MacMillan.”

“He doesn’t really have a say in it, Bruce.” She forced herself to stay patient. “Look, I know you’re just doing your job, but if Niall gives you any grief, send him directly to me.”

“Aye, lass. I’ll tell him exactly that.”

“Thanks. And thank you for shuttling me around these past few weeks. It’s been so nice not to have to worry about driving when I needed to focus on the movie.”

“’Twas my pleasure,” Bruce said, and Charlotte hung up.

She changed into her own clothes, grabbed her purse and coat from the closet, and headed back to the group. Just in time to see Alec running his fingers through one of the extra’s hair. He must have seen her out of the corner of his eye, because he stepped back quickly, a guilty look on his face.

“Hey.” He closed the distance between them. “That is not what it looked like.”

Charlotte tried to hide her relief. Now she didn’t have to have a difficult conversation with him. “Whatever, Alec. I honestly don’t care. None of my business.”

“Well, I’d like it to be... your business, that is.”

Charlotte shook her head. “No, thanks.”

“Come on, Charlie. She had something in her hair.”

“Yeah. Your fingers.” He laid his hands on her arms but she pulled away. “It’s fine, Alec. Really.”

“Are you still coming to the bar?”

“Of course I am.” She wasn’t going to let him ruin her celebration.

He smiled. “Awesome.”

She wished she hadn’t dismissed Bruce so quickly now, but she’d sort out a ride home when she got to the party. She was relieved to discover Alec was driving other cast members as well and jumped into the back seat in an effort to put distance between them. Alec frowned, but shrugged it off and climbed into the car with everyone else.

Charlotte joined in the group conversation, letting the elation of a job well done shake her out of her mood. Alec scored a parking space quite close to the bar, so the group arrived at their destination quickly.

Everyone grabbed tables as close together as possible, and Charlotte found herself drawn to the television on the wall opposite her. Images of Thane Allen flashed on the screen, and she smiled. He was gorgeous, sure, but it was the way he’d stood up and defended Misty that really moved her. Men like that were rare.

As drinks were ordered and delivered, an image of Thane with a man who looked somewhat familiar to her drew her attention back to the television. Why did he look so familiar?

“Charlie?” Tabitha asked.

“Hmm?”

“Do you want food?”

“Oh, right. Yes, please. I think I’m only going to have one drink tonight, though. I really would like to head home early.”

The pretty brunette shrugged. “Whatever floats your boat.”

Alec made his way to her table and leaned against it. “Hey, can we talk?”

“Nope.”

“Seriously, Charlotte. It’s not what you think.”

She sighed. “Honestly, it doesn’t really matter. I was going to tell you I’d like to leave off as friends. I’m not really interested in dating anyone right now, so please feel free to date whomever you like. I’m not mad, okay?”

He frowned, but she was grateful he didn’t argue with her. He gave her a charming smile and went back to his group.

Her eye was directed back to the television again and she gasped. She knew exactly who the man with Thane Allen was. None of this had been random. Charlotte herself was being defended and vindicated and she hadn’t even realized it. She was done fighting the inevitable.

“You okay?” Tabitha asked.

“Yeah. Sorry, I have to go. It was great working with you.” She dropped a twenty on the table.

“Hey, that’s too much.”

“That’s okay,” she said as she pulled on her coat and grabbed her purse. “Put it toward your bill.”

“Thanks, Charlie.”

Charlotte waved and headed outside to call a cab. She didn’t need to. The familiar black Town Car sat outside. She wasn’t sure if she should be happy or irritated, but right now, she chose relieved.

Instead of Bruce greeting her, however, the back door opened and Niall stepped out. Charlotte bit her lip to keep from sighing. He gave her a slight smile, and she couldn’t help herself from rushing to him and throwing her arms around his neck.

“Hey, are you all right?” he asked as he gave her a gentle squeeze.

She nodded.

“Are you sure?”

She nodded again and then stepped back. “You did that, didn’t you?”

“Did what, lass?”

“The thing with Blake.” She laid her hands on his chest. She just had to touch him. “You made sure he was caught.”

He studied her for several seconds. “What gave it away?”

“There are several pictures of Thane with the man who was in my dream. You know, the one you called ‘oafy’?”

Niall shook his head. “Bloody hell, lass, you’re far too smart for your own good.”

She giggled. “I’m aware.”                             

“That’s Brodie, Payton’s mate.”

“Ah, makes sense, I think.”

“Where can I take you?” he asked, as he ran his fingers down her cheek.

“Somewhere we can talk.”

“Hotel?” he asked.

She nodded. “Yes. If you have wine.”

“I have wine, love, and if we run out, Bruce will get us more.”

“Awesome,” she said, and climbed into the car.

Niall climbed into the car beside her and took her hand, linking his fingers with hers as Bruce guided the car out into the street.

“Can we run through a drive thru on the way back, please? I’m starving.”

“Of course we can,” Niall said, and relayed the direction to Bruce.

Charlotte squeezed Niall’s hand. “Are you for real?”

“I should ask you the same question,” he said.

“But, this,” she waved her hand. “Seems too easy.”

“Does it?”

“Yes.” She sighed. “I have been killing myself trying to find the perfect guy... well, perfect for me, anyway... using all manner of online dating options... and you show up all hot and talented and Scottish, literally sweeping me off my feet. When does that ever happen to people like me? I’ll tell you when. Never.”

Niall chuckled. “Well, I’ve been waiting for you for a long time, love, so I wasn’t going to wait another second.”

“How long?”

“Have I been waiting for you?”

“Yes.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Do you really want to know?”

“Yes.”

“Since 1440.”

“Shut up.” Charlotte sat back. “That’s almost six hundred years. Have you really been alive that long?”

Niall nodded. “I was born in 1415.”

“Wow,” she rasped. She took a few deep breaths, trying to wrap her mind around the information.

“You okay?” he asked.

“I think so. Just give me a second,” she said, although, her body was already relaxing at his touch. She raised an eyebrow. “Are you doing that? Calming me?”

He nodded and smiled.

“So, the water the night we met wasn’t the cure. You did something, didn’t you?”

He cocked his head. “You are extraordinarily insightful, Charlotte.”

“I’m not sure about that, but when you touch me, I feel as though I know you. Maybe better than myself.” She squeezed his hand. “That’s normal, right?”

“Aye.” Niall smiled. “It’s the way of mates. It’s an instant connection.”

“So, what do we do now?”

Niall chuckled. “We spend every waking minute together and then in a few days, I take you home.”

“Nope. Nice try, though.” She sat back. “The part about taking me home, just to be clear. I’m all for hanging out.”

“Every waking minute, right?”

“Hmm. That might be tough. I do have a life.” She grinned. “Although, not much of one, now that shooting is done for the time being.”

Niall chuckled.

Once they got their burgers and shakes, they headed to the hotel. Niall took her hand and lifted it to his lips as they stepped into the elevator. Arriving at his floor, Niall opened the door to his suite and stepped back for Charlotte to precede him.

He took the food from Bruce and followed her inside. She took off her coat and watched him as he opened a bottle of her favorite red. She couldn’t help but smile. Even opening a bottle of wine, he oozed sexy.

“Thank you, love.”

She shook her head. “I really do need to remember that you can read my mind, particularly when I’m admiring you.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” he said, handing her a glass, “I quite like knowing where I stand.”

“Well, you’ll never have to read my mind to know that... I tend to blurt things out without warning.”

Niall raised an eyebrow. “So I’ve been told.”

She sipped her wine and took a seat at the table. “Grace has been tattling again, huh?”

Niall joined her. “Yes. She has a long list of things she loves about you. I’d imagine she only scratched the surface.”

Charlotte giggled. “Oh, I’m sure. Did she mention my patriotism?”

Niall laughed. “Something about you being a card carrying ’Merican.”

“You have to say it in a southern accent or it just doesn’t have the same weight.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said.

“So, tell me how you know Thane Allen, and what exactly did you tell him?”

“I’ve known Thane for almost as long as I’ve been alive.”

She widened her eyes. “He’s Cauld Ane?”

“Aye, lass. He’s close to fifty years older than me.”

“Wow,” she whispered.

He handed her a burger. “I didn’t tell him much, love.”

“What do you know?” she asked. “How do you know?”

“Grace told me,” he admitted.

“Wait...what?” she exclaimed. “Grace doesn’t know.”

“She does, love. Your friend, Don, is it?” Charlotte nodded. “Don called Grace to fill her in. They made a pact not to tell you, but he was concerned about you and probably needed an ally.”

“That little sneak. Both of them, actually.”

He leaned over and cupped her chin. “Don’t be cross, sweetheart. They love you.”

“I know they do.” She sighed. “I’m not mad. I’m just surprised.”

He smiled.

“Did Thane set Blake up?”

Niall shook his head. “No. He planned to, but Blake ended up being his own worst enemy. Thane met him at the hotel and heard him yelling at that Misty girl. Then he heard a crash and busted into the room. It all played out like a movie in the end.”

“I can’t believe Thane made such a strong stand.”

“You can’t?” Niall challenged.

“No. Why would he? He doesn’t know me.”

“Sweetheart, when are you going to understand that our mates mean more to us than anything, and we are part of a brotherhood that takes that seriously? I’d have done the same thing if Thane had called me because another musician had done something to his mate.”

“Did his mate date a musician?”

Niall grinned and shook his head. “No. He hasn’t met her yet.”

She cocked her head in question. “So, he did this all because I’m your mate and he respects you enough to take your word for what happened to me?”

“Aye, lass.”

“Wow.” She blinked back tears. “I can’t believe you’d do that for me.”

“Why not?”

“Because no one ever has.”

“That can’t possibly be true,” he countered. “What about Grace?”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, Grace is amazing and I adore her, but she’s a peacekeeper. The one thing we butt heads on is the fact that I come out swinging with the sword of justice, and she tries to see all sides. She would never ruin someone’s career to avenge my honor. It’s not in her nature.”

Niall chuckled. “Well, it’s a good thing I’m here then.”

“Apparently so.” She grinned and opened her purse. “By the way, how much do I owe you?”

“For?”

“Dinner,” she said, and grabbed her wallet.

He frowned. “Nothing.”

“Seriously?”

“Aye, love.”

“I don’t expect you to pay for everything,” she said. “Can I at least pay for the wine?”

Niall nodded toward her purse. “If you don’t put your wallet away, love, I’m going to get quite irritated.”

“Are you for real?”

“As long as we’re together, you’ll no’ pay for a goddamn thing, Charlotte.”

“Oh, wow, you are for real.” She dropped her wallet back into her purse and smiled. “What if we break up?”

“We’ll no’ be breaking up either.”

“Lord, your accent makes everything sexy.” Charlotte giggled. “Even your irritation.”

“Does it?”

“Definitely.” She licked her lips. “Say something to make me swoon.”

He swirled his wine as though it was brandy in a snifter and raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me, lass, but your rhinoceros has trampled my rose garden.”

Charlotte laughed until she cried and Niall studied her.

“What?” she asked, sobering at his sexy smile.

He stared at her mouth. “I’m absolutely dying to kiss you.”

Her laughter gone, she felt heat creep up her neck. “Then, why don’t you?”

Niall stood, taking her wine glass from her and setting them down before pulling Charlotte to her feet and into his arms, stroking her cheek as he covered her mouth with his. She sighed as he deepened the kiss, gripping his shirt to keep herself upright. Never before had she been kissed like this. Never before had someone so entirely captivated and consumed her. She wanted him more than she wanted breath.

Þú verður mín að eilífu.

A shiver stole her breath and she broke the kiss, dropping her forehead onto his chest. “What does that mean?” she asked.

“You will be mine forever. It’s an Icelandic promise.” He lifted her chin and smiled. “It’s the first thing we say to our mates to establish our bond. We are now physically connected as well as emotionally.”

“Is that what happened? I felt a chill or something up my spine.”

“Aye.” He slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled something out. “I was going to wait, but I think you should have this now.”

“What?”

He opened his hand and in his palm sat the most exquisite ring Charlotte had ever seen. A huge diamond sat proudly in the middle of a diamond-encrusted band.

She gasped, her eyes filling with new tears. “Oh, Niall. It’s beautiful.”

She bit her lip. The ring probably cost more than her car.

Don’t worry about the cost, love. He knelt before her. “Charlotte Paige Whitmore, would you do me the great honor of becoming by wife?”

She nodded and he slipped the ring on her finger. It was a perfect fit. He stood again and pulled her into his arms for a heart-melting kiss.

“Does that mean you’ll bond me now?” she asked.

He stroked her hair and took a deep breath. “No, love. I can’t bind you here.”

“Bind. Sorry. I had a feeling I wasn’t saying it right.” She squeezed her eyes shut. “Why won’t you bind me here?”

He lifted her chin, running his thumb along her lower lip. “You don’t want to go through the conversion in a hotel room, and I want you to feel safe.”

“Conversion?”

“Aye. Your body will change once I bind you and...” He trailed off.

“What?” she pressed.

“It’s painful.”

She narrowed her eyes. “How painful?”

Niall grimaced. “Worse than childbirth, I’m told.”

Her mouth gaped. “Oh, forget it then,” she joked.

He smiled and kissed her again, sliding his fingers into her hair and tipping her head back. She looped her hands around his waist and pulled herself closer.

On second thought, bind me now.

Niall broke the kiss with a grin. “You’re a terrible temptation, love.”

She frowned. “Will it really hurt?”

He tucked her hair behind her ear and nodded. “I’ve been told it does, but Grace will know better.”

“Maybe it would be better not to know.”

“Maybe so,” he said. “You are going to have to get on my plane, though.”

“Nope.” She shook her head. “Never going to happen.”

“We’ll talk about it further after we get to know each other a bit more, eh?”

“Don’t waste your breath, buddy,” she said, and patted his chest. “Not worth the trouble.”

“Change of subject.” He smiled and handed her wine back to her. “Did you get Nikolai’s phone number from your sister?”

“Oh, yes. I did. And a couple of pictures of him from her phone. She doesn’t know I did, so that’s probably going to bite me in the butt.” Charlotte pulled her phone from her purse and handed it to him. “Why?”

“Because I’m going to have him checked out.” He sent the contact information and photos to his phone and then forwarded them on to Oliver.

“You have that ability?” she asked.

He raised an eyebrow before smiling. “Aye, love. I have that ability.”

She sat on the sofa, dragging one leg under her bottom. “Through Rogue?”

“You know about Rogue?”

Rogue was a non-profit company Niall started with Max to aid and protect women and children in abusive situations.

“Who’s got two thumbs and is your number one stalker?” she asked.

He laughed. “Right. No, this isn’t officially through Rogue.”

Charlotte sat up straighter. “Oh? Do tell.”

“It’s a bit of a long story.”

She rubbed her hands together and grinned. “I love long stories.”

He set his phone on the table and sat beside her. “I met a young Irish woman about ten years ago who managed to get away from a man who’d captured her and held her against her will for almost a year.”

“Did she know him?”

Niall shook his head. “No. He’d snatched her off the street.”

“Wow. How did she get away?”

“She waited and watched, and as soon as his guard was down, she ran. What she didn’t realize was that she was no longer in Ireland. She was in Scotland... Edinburgh to be specific. I think someone was truly watching over her, because she ended up on my doorstep.”

She frowned. “Of your house?”

He nodded. “It took a lot of courage for her to ring my doorbell, let alone let me help her... I was a strange man, and she didn’t know if I was friend or foe.”

Charlotte gasped. “How frightening.”

“Aye. It was. I wrapped her in a blanket and made her drink gallons of hot tea. We sat on my front stoop for over an hour, until she felt comfortable enough to come inside.”

Charlotte smiled. “You’re like that with everyone, aren’t you?”

“Like what?” he asked.

“Kind. Gracious. Gentle. Protective.”

He chuckled, linking his fingers with hers. “I suppose I am, unless I shouldn’t be. Don’t put too much of a halo on me, love. If someone hurts those I care about, I’m never kind, gracious, or gentle.”

“Yes, I’m beginning to see that.” She kissed his palm. “But honestly, that just makes the halo bigger in my book.”

He stroked her cheek with the hand she’d just kissed and smiled. “You’ll always be safe, Charlotte. I will make sure of it.”

“I know.” She bit her lip. “You have no idea how that makes me feel.”

“I think I do. Will you tell me about the dream? Your fear during it was palpable.”

“It’s not just one dream.”

“It’s not?”

She studied him for several seconds, unsure of how much to tell him. There were things she hadn’t even told Grace, but when he ran a finger gently down her cheek again, she knew that there would never be anyone she could trust more. “No. Although, they’re connected, I think. I started having them when I was little. I can’t remember exactly when they started, but maybe I was six? Sometimes the same dream would make me panic, other times I’d feel calm. I couldn’t figure out why the same images would be peaceful one night and then a nightmare another, but I didn’t much care on the nightmare nights, I suppose, because I couldn’t go back to sleep. Then, after Blake, they got much more intense.”

“What did your parents say?”

Charlotte shrugged. “I never told them.”

“Not even yer mum?”

Charlotte shook her head. “No. I mean, she’d come in and soothe me if I woke her, but I always told her I didn’t remember. I don’t know why, I just felt like I shouldn’t tell her.”

“What is it with this need to keep your fears and hurts buried and secret?”

“I have no idea,” she admitted with a sigh. “Self-preservation, maybe?”

He squeezed her hand then picked up his wine. “Do you remember all the dreams, or just snippets?”

“All of them. In vivid detail. The ones I had “with” you were different. Something was missing.”

“Oh? What was that?”

“Typically, there’s a man, a really tall man, like eight feet tall. He’s a giant, really, more than a man.” When she caught his slight smile, she rolled her eyes. “I like details.”

“I’m picking up on that.” Niall chuckled. “Sorry, love. Continue.”

“So this giant is running toward me in slow motion. He’s got long blond hair, and he’s carrying a weapon. An axe maybe, I don’t know, I never really get a good look at it. He’s bare-chested and his face is”—she laid a hand over her chest—“his face is angry. No, not angry. Angry’s not the right word. Violent. He looks like a warrior from a thousand years ago, you know? Maybe Viking, or something like that. He’s coming at me like he’s going to kill me, and I can’t move. I’m frozen to the spot, and I’m trying to figure out how such a young, handsome man could hate me so much, he’s ready to kill me.” Charlotte’s heart raced as panic set in, but Niall grasped her hand and she calmed once again. “Thank you.”

“Does the man attack you?”

Charlotte shook her head. “He jumps over me, and that’s when I wake up. Every time. You’d think I’d remember that he doesn’t hurt me when the dream starts, but it’s as if I’m dreaming it for the first time every time I have it. I’ve woken up a few times with my hands blue and freezing, but I don’t feel cold. They return to normal within seconds, but I often wonder if I’ve slept on them or something. What’s weird is that I feel like I’ve seen him a few times... in real life. The warrior, only not in warrior clothes, and I find myself looking for him in crowds. I started seeing him after the “incident,” and I thought maybe Blake was having me followed. And the panic starts again, and then he gets lost in the crowd.” She groaned. “I’m sure it’s my obsession with that Vikings show... or my love of crime dramas. Fair warning, I have a very morbid bend.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Niall smiled. “Are you okay?”

She took a deep breath and nodded. “I am now that you’re calming me. I have never told anyone about the dream. Not even Grace.”

“I’m flattered, sweetheart.”

“Well, I felt like I probably needed to fill you in on a few things.” She smiled. “Since you were kind of in one with me.”

He chuckled. “Aye.”

“I feel like I’ve known you my entire life.”

“I suppose in some ways you have.”

“How does that work?”

“You have access to my thoughts, my memories, my heart.” He ran a lock of her hair through his fingers. “I doubt anyone in the world could know me better than you.”

She blushed, taking a few minutes to process his adoration. It was humbling. “And you’ll never cheat on me.”

“I will never cheat on you.” He scowled. “And the likes of Blake Harris will never touch you again.”

Charlotte cupped his cheek, calming him this time. “I haven’t thought about him in a really long time.”

“And you’ll no’ have to think about him again.”

“I appreciate that.” She took a deep breath and sipped her wine. “Anyway, enough about me. What happened with the girl on your front stoop?”

“Before we go into that, just one more thing.”

“Oh?”

He leaned forward and kissed her. A sweet, comforting kiss that still managed to be sexy beyond reason. She slipped her hands into his hair and scooted closer to him. He pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her and deepening the kiss. She broke the kiss with a sigh and laid her head on his shoulder, kissing his pulse. “Thank you.”

He gave her a gentle squeeze. “You needed a distraction.”

“You can distract me like that any time you want to.”

Niall chuckled. “Good to know.”

“Continue, or I’ll be forced to ravage you.”

He grinned. “Colleen was the girl on my stoop. She was fifteen at the time, and when she told me what happened to her and her friends, I realized I’d just had a nasty introduction to a trafficking ring not far from my home.”

“What? Seriously?”

“Aye. They had a warehouse where they held the girls.” Niall grimaced. “She was one of six that had been either lured or taken from Dublin. The bastard who’d taken them had sold all but two of them, and Colleen was one of the ones not sold. She was ‘mouthy,’ therefore, unsellable. But not unusable.”

“How awful.”

“Yes, but she was incredibly brave.” Niall linked his fingers with Charlotte’s. “She was instrumental in helping us find four of the other girls...”

“What about the last one? The last girl?”

“She didn’t make it. She overdosed on the heroin they injected. Siobhan was her name.”

“No! That’s awful. Her poor parents.”

He scowled. “Her ‘poor’ parents weren’t devastated enough, in my opinion.”

“What do you mean?”

“When the Dublin police informed the mother of her daughter’s death, she was drunk at the time and said she was happy the tart wouldn’t be around to seduce her boyfriends anymore,” Niall hissed through his teeth. “Siobhan was only fourteen.”

Charlotte felt the anger in Niall and flattened her palm to his chest. “I bet her mother felt differently when she sobered up.”

“I’m no’ so sure.”

She glanced up at him. “Where’s Colleen now?”

“She works for me, actually.”

“She does?”

“Aye. She helps to counsel young women who are rescued. She’s a vital part of my team. We needed a human faction that we could keep separate from our Cauld Ane interests.”

“Yes, I’d imagine you would. Does she know you’re not human?”

“No.”

Charlotte ran a finger absently over his chest. “Who heads up the faction? Is it you?”

He nodded. “Yes and no. Ollie and I run it together, but we also have help from the security team that works in tandem for the royal family.”

“As in the English Royal family?”

“No. We have our own.”

She leaned back. “You have your own royal family?”

Niall nodded. “The Gunnach Clan, headed by Dr. Kade Gunnach, who is our king. The oafy one in your dream is the third brother, Brodie. He’s bonded to Payton, who’s been my closest friend for years.”

“Gunnach. Why does that name sound familiar?”

“Probably because the king’s wife, Samantha, was Maggie’s doctor.”

“Wait.” Charlotte pulled her hand out of his and rose to her feet. “Are you saying that a queen was Maggie’s doctor? Like a real queen?”

“Yes.”

“If she’s a queen, why the heck is she a doctor?”

“She was human.” Niall stood and took her hand. “She and Kade haven’t been bound for long.”

Charlotte rubbed her forehead. “Wow.”

“You okay?”

“I’m a little... ah... I don’t know. Overwhelmed, I guess.”

He pulled her close again. “I’m surprised it’s taken you this long.”

“To do what?”

“React like a normal human being.”

She pulled away, frowning up at him. “Are you trying to tell me I’m not normal?”

He chuckled. “Yes. In the best of ways.”

“Well, at least you aren’t a liar.” She smiled. “You know, my friend Rose works for Shared Hope International.”

“I didn’t know that,” Niall said. “It’s an incredible organization.”

“I know, and she’s perfect for the job.”

“Yes, she would be, wouldn’t she?” Niall’s phone buzzed and he released her just long enough to grab it. “Oliver’s responded.”

Charlotte bit her lip. “What does he say? Has he found something on Nikolai’s phone?”

“No. It’s a burner.” Niall sighed.

“Well, that throws a wrench into everything.”

“I was expecting that, honestly.”

“You were?”

He nodded. “If he was on the up and up, the phone wouldn’t be disposable.”

“Which means he’s probably a bad guy.”

“Aye, love. He’s probably a bad guy.”

Charlotte groaned. “My sister’s an idiot.”

“Or he knows exactly what to say to elicit the response he’s looking for.” He stroked her cheek. “You’d be surprised the young girls who fall for predators.”

“Yes, but that’s not Vandi,” Charlotte stressed. “You heard her on the phone when we picked her up. She won’t put up with BS, of any kind.”

“That’s good, sweetheart. But in the meantime, I’m going to look into this guy further, just to be sure.”

Charlotte bit her lip. “Do you think we might be overreacting a bit?”

He shrugged. “Possibly.”

“I don’t want you to go to any trouble.”

“It’s no trouble, Charlotte.” He raised an eyebrow. “Would you rather I drop it?”

“No. She’s still reeling from my parents’ divorce, so she’s vulnerable. Daddy issues and everything.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and settled her cheek against his chest. “You feel so good.”

He ran his hands through her hair and stroked her back. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

“I am so not a hugger.”

He chuckled. “Really?”

“Yes, really. But, good lord, I like hugging you. You smell delicious.”

He kissed her head. “You want me to bind you here and now, don’t you?”

She nodded and slipped her hands under this shirt to explore. The ridges of his chiseled chest and stomach were like a roadmap, guiding her to wonders she’d never seen or felt before. That was her last coherent thought before he kissed her.