“How do I look?” Roni pulled down on the skin under his eye, stretching out the dark circle that had formed there.

Sylvia straightened his shirt collar. “Sickly, but at least presentable.”

“Tell me more about that Kian dude, so I can mentally prepare.”

She shrugged. “I don’t know him that well. From what I hear he is cranky and short-tempered but not a pompous ass. The Guardians all admire him.”

“Anandur is a Guardian, right?”

“Yes, and Onegus is the chief Guardian.”

“How many Guardians do you have?”

She hesitated. “I’m pretty sure it’s classified information.”

“But you know.”

“I do, but I’m not supposed to talk about it.”

Sylvia seemed distraught by the situation he’d put her in. As his girlfriend, she should have no secrets from him, but some secrets were not hers to share. He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable.

“It’s okay, baby.” He pulled her into a hug. “I love you.”

She kissed him lightly on the lips. “I love you too.”

He took her hand. “Let’s go. I don’t want to be late.”

“You don’t want to be early either. He gave us fifteen minutes, not because he is a megalomaniac but because he really doesn't have time.”

That remained to be seen. People in positions of power usually didn’t get there by playing nice.

Roni was surprised to see Sylvia press the button for one of the underground levels. “Where is his office?”

“Down in the basement. Most of our facilities are there. There is a gym, a swimming pool, a movie theater, classrooms, a grand hall, a commercial kitchen. The list goes on. Oh, and the catacombs. And a dungeon.”

Roni wiped a hand over his mouth. “I’d be damned. A dungeon? Can I see it? Is it like a medieval torture chamber or a place to have kinky sex?”

Sylvia slapped his arm. “You’re so juvenile. The dungeon is a level with several holding cells which are supposedly pretty nice. Nothing medieval about them. You can ask Anandur to show you. I don’t think there is anyone there at the moment.”

They exited the elevators and continued down a wide corridor, identical to the one leading to the clinic. Anandur was waiting for them outside a set of glass doors.

“Hey, Roni, my man.” The big guy’s hand landed on Roni’s shoulder with a surprisingly light touch. “How are you feeling? I hear you got a place all to yourself.”

“It’s temporary. Ingrid told me she would have to pair me with someone.”

Anandur scratched his beard. “Yeah, we are a little short on lodging here. But pretty soon we will have room to spare in a village-like atmosphere with lots of green stuff to look at.” He leaned to whisper in Roni’s ear. “Personally, I’m tired of the concrete jungle.”

Sylvia sighed. “That’s why my mom refuses to move into the keep. She says it’s depressing.”

Anandur glanced at his watch, then knocked on the door. “It’s time, kids.” He pushed the door open.

“Are you coming in?” Roni asked. No one had asked Anandur to come talk on behalf of Roni, but it seemed the guy had volunteered. Andrew, who was the ideal candidate for the job, was still playing chicken and refusing to get anywhere near Roni until Bridget reassured him that the virus was no longer contagious.

“Yes, I am. But I’m going to be quiet. With that big mouth of yours, I’m sure you can manage on your own.”

Sylvia groaned. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“That’s what I’m here for.” Anandur winked. “To kick him under the table if he forgets his manners.”

“Are you guys going to be standing out in the corridor much longer? Because I have shit to do,” came a gruff voice from inside the room.

Roni liked the guy already.

He strode inside, ready to offer his hand for a handshake when the guy pushed up to his feet and rounded his desk.

Holly shit, the dude was good-looking. Like in movie-star, girls throwing their panties at him good-looking.

Roni swallowed. Jerks with attitude didn’t intimidate him, but guys like Kian did. Too attractive, and too full of themselves because every female in their vicinity drooled like an idiot.

“I’m Kian.” The guy offered his hand, and Sylvia nudged Roni to reciprocate.

Falling back on years of experience dealing with people who thought he was easily intimidated because he wasn’t big and buff, Roni shook Kian’s hand. “It’s good to meet you, Kian. I heard a lot about you.” He was proud that his voice came out sounding steady and professional.

Kian regarded him with a pair of eyes that were the most intense Roni had ever seen.

“Let’s all sit at the conference table.” He pointed to the oblong thing that was taking most of the floor space of his office.

The boss sat at the head of the table, Anandur to his left, and Roni took the seat to his right. Sylvia sat next to him. Evidently, Kian intimidated her as well, though not sexually.

Roni felt ridiculously grateful that sexual relationships between clan members were prohibited. According to Sylvia, it was something about all of them sharing the same bloodline. Because there was no way any woman who wasn’t a blood relative wouldn’t be attracted to that dude.

“What can I help you with, Roni?”

“I need to know what my status here is. If I transition, that’s obvious, I join the clan. But at the moment it seems doubtful.”

Kian nodded. “I understand that you prefer to stay on, even if it means you’re a prisoner here.”

“You understand correctly. I want to be with Sylvia. We love each other.”

A pitying look flitted through Kian’s eyes. “A relationship between an immortal and a human is doomed from the start. But you’re young. You still have many years ahead of you even as a human. On the other hand, you can have a full life outside of here. I can arrange for a new identity, a new place to settle in, and we can even use your services without you knowing who and what we are. The problem is that erasing your memories would be next to impossible. You’ve accumulated a shitload of those with Sylvia.”

Kian cast her a reprimanding glare. “You shouldn’t have done it. Not for so long. I understand we are talking months, right?”

Sylvia nodded without looking Kian in the eyes.

“We face several challenges here. Completely wiping Sylvia from your memory is impossible. I can give it a shot and erase just the part about her being immortal, but I doubt it would work on you. Your brain is too powerful. Which brings me to the next complication. I would hate to damage it even slightly. It’s like ruining a one of a kind work of art. Unforgivable.”

“Thank you. I appreciate the compliment. But that leaves only one option, and that’s of me staying on. I’m fine with that. I was a prisoner where I was before, so that’s not a big change. Hopefully, I’ll be treated better here. It was so fucking lonely there. I’m not going to miss that.”

Sylvia gasped in horror, but Kian grinned.

“I think you’re going to miss those days when you realize what a bunch of fucking busybodies your new friends are. Privacy? Forget about it. Keeping secrets? Only if you don’t tell a soul.”

Roni felt a heavy weight lift off his chest, and it had nothing to do with the pneumonia. “Does it mean I can stay?”

Kian shook his head, scaring the crap out of Roni, but then he nodded. “There is a precedent. Andrew was allowed in because of Syssi, his sister and my wife. Syssi transitioned, so we knew Andrew was a Dormant as well, but he was older, and there was a fear he wouldn’t make it. It all ended well, and he transitioned, but the point of the story is that we welcomed him regardless. You don’t have a blood relative who we know has transitioned, but you have Sylvia. Not as strong of a case as Andrew’s, but I can work with that.”

Roni slumped in his chair. “Thank God.”

Kian lifted a finger. “But, I have to take precautions to ensure the safety of my people. You will be fitted with an unremovable cuff that will track your location at all times and sound the alarm if you try to leave.”

Unable to stop himself, Roni snorted. “With all due respect, Kian, do you think I can’t disarm a thing like that?”

Kian’s smile was part conceited, part evil. “You might be smart, even brilliant, but our William is just as smart and has the advantage of advanced technology you’ve never even heard about. Try to mess with that cuff, and it will explode, taking your arm with it.”

Roni gulped and instinctively cradled his forearm.

His expression menacing, Kian leaned toward him. “Just think about it, Roni. How are you going to do all that hacking of yours with only one hand?”