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  Nikolas nodded grimly. “Paparazzi. Just what we need.”

  He turned to Jordan, who was coming toward us. “Sara texted me an hour ago to let me know you were going to a party at some celebrity’s house. Next thing I know, she’s calling for a cleanup crew. What the hell happened tonight?”

  Jordan rolled her shoulders. “We were at Lure, and Brent Lassiter invited us to join him in the VIP section.”

  “Who is Brent Lassiter?” Chris asked, his brows drawn together.

  “He would be Hollywood’s newest golden boy.” Jordan waggled her eyebrows at me. “Who totally has the hots for our girl Beth.”

  As if on cue, the blond man I’d been tending to on the couch pulled himself into a sitting position and looked around in confusion. “Beth?” he said groggily and grimaced. “Who are these people? Why does my head hurt?”

  Raoul headed toward him with a can of gunna paste in hand. I turned back to Nikolas, deliberately not looking at Chris, who had come to stand beside him.

  “Brent invited us back to his place for a party,” I said. “We were here about twenty minutes when some of his friends showed up with the vampires. I don’t think his friends knew what the vampires were. And the vampires were not expecting to find us here.”

  Jordan grinned. “Sara felt them coming, so we were ready for them. You should have seen those vampires’ faces when they realized what we were. Priceless. We took care of them, but it was a little messy, as you can see.”

  Nikolas rubbed his jaw. “Yes, I can see that. Did we lose any humans?”

  “No,” I said proudly. “But some of them might need medical care.”

  I felt Chris’s eyes on me again, and I had to resist the urge to look at him. There was something different about him tonight, and I could almost feel the tension rolling off him. Was he angry at me? Did he think we could have handled the situation better?

  Uncertainty gnawed at me as I waited for him to say something. In spite of everything, the thought of him being disappointed in me caused a tiny knot to form in my stomach. Damn him. Why did I care what he thought of me?

  The door opened again, and eight warriors filed into the room. Chris and Nikolas started issuing orders, and I put thoughts of Chris out of my mind as we set about taking care of the humans and removing all traces of the vampires. Disposing of vampires wasn’t nearly as much fun as killing them.

  Everyone worked with quiet efficiency, and two hours later, the house looked like it had been vandalized instead of having been a battleground. The humans were tended to and given a dose of gorum, the drug we used to modify short-term memory. Most people weren’t ready to learn about the real world, so part of our job was to keep it hidden. The humans here would think they were the victims of a home invasion and never know how close they’d come to a gruesome death.

  Even the two paparazzi at the gate were given gorum to make them forget the large vans coming and going in the wee hours of the morning. No one liked drugging humans, but it was a necessary part of our job if we were to remain hidden. That wasn’t to say no humans knew of our existence. The Council worked with the highest levels of government and law enforcement in every state, and the humans knew it was to their benefit to keep us a secret.

  The vans left, and I walked into the living room to retrieve my shoes. I’d kicked them off in the fight and left them off during the cleanup. I picked them up as Jordan and Sara walked into the room.

  “I’d say that was a good night’s work,” Jordan declared.

  Sara gave her an eye roll. “That had to be wild enough, even for you.”

  I nodded in agreement. From partying with celebrities to saving a houseful of humans from vampires, this, by far, had been the craziest night of my life. Not to mention Chris’s odd behavior. We hadn’t spoken during the cleanup, but I’d sensed his eyes on me more than once. I had no idea what his deal was, and I didn’t want to know.

  I glanced down at my ruined dress. “I don’t know about you girls, but I’m ready for a long hot shower and a soft bed.”

  “I bet Brent has a very soft bed,” Jordan said.

  I laughed at her suggestive smile. I’d flirted with Brent at the club because it was fun and harmless, and really, how often do you get to party with a hot young movie star? But I’d had no intention of taking it beyond that, even before things had gone to hell.

  “Are you girls ready to leave?”

  The three of us turned to face Chris, who stood by the door, his brows pulled down in a scowl that looked out of character for him. I wasn’t the only one surprised by his expression or his brusque tone.

  “Whoa, Blondie. We keeping you up past your bedtime or something?” Jordan quipped.

  “We need to clear out so we can alert the authorities.” Chris’s green gaze locked with mine. “And I think you’ve had enough fun for tonight.”

  My lips parted, and I’m pretty sure my eyebrows touched my hairline. Oh, no. He did not just say that. He’d given up the right to have any say in my life a long time ago.

  “I’m a big girl now, and I can decide when I’ve had enough.”

  He crossed his arms. “Judging by what’s left of your dress, I don’t think you can.”

  I gaped at him, at a loss for words.

  “What the…? Does he remind you of someone we know?” Jordan asked Sara in a stage whisper.

  “Uh-huh,” Sara murmured.

  I turned my head to ask what they were talking about and found them staring at Chris like he was about to sprout wings any second. What was up with all of them? They were acting crazy.

  I heaved an angry sigh. “I need some fresh air. I’ll wait for you girls outside.”

  Chris stepped into my path as I walked to the door. His scowl was gone, and he looked as confused as I was. He opened his mouth to speak, but I was done talking.

  I moved to go around him.

  “Beth, wait.”

  Warm fingers wrapped around my wrist, and I gasped as a tingle shot up my arm and straight to my chest. My heart began to pound as if it had been hit with a jolt of electricity. Then a storm of emotions erupted inside me – longing, love, joy – until I was almost dizzy from them.

  The strange tingling sensation faded, but the emotions in my chest only intensified until my heart was ready to punch through my ribs.

  I put a trembling hand to my face. What’s wrong with me?

  I turned my head toward Chris. Our eyes met, and his darkened to a bottle-green, the heat in them sending a thrill of fear and excitement through me. His hand tugged me toward him, and I took a step in his direction.

  And then, amidst the clamor in my head, a small desperate voice cried out.

  Solmi!

  Chapter 6

  Chris

  MINE.

  My Mori’s growl filled my head as a fierce surge of joy and possessiveness swept over me, almost rocking me back on my heels. Deep inside, something shifted and clicked into place, and a new awareness blossomed as my Mori tethered itself to its mate.

  My mate.

  Beth turned her head, and the sight of her pale cheeks and confused eyes made me forget everything but the need to comfort and reassure her. I gently drew her toward me as I fought an internal battle with my demon that strained to get to her.

  “No.”

  Beth’s choked cry came a second before she yanked out of my grasp. I saw the panic in her eyes as she spun and ran outside.

  Stunned, I stood unable to move as the reality of what had just happened settled over me. I had bonded…with Beth. My Beth.

  I looked at Sara and Jordan, who stared back at me with wide eyes and slack jaws. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out.

  The rumble of an engine coming to life shook me from my stupor. I raced outside, nearly running over Nikolas as he entered the house. I was in time to see the taillight of a motorcycle as it passed through the open gates and disappeared from sight.

  I ran for my bike, only to come up short when I saw it wasn’t w
here I’d left it. When I’d arrived, I’d been in such a rush to make sure Beth was okay that I must have left my keys in the ignition.

  “She took my bike,” I said in disbelief.

  Nikolas came up behind me. “What happened? She looked upset.”

  Instead of answering him, I said, “I need your bike.”

  He pulled out his keys and handed them to me without question. I muttered “Thanks” and ran to his Ducati. Pulling on his helmet, I started the bike and took off after Beth.

  In a city this big, she could be anywhere, and the thought of her out there alone made a knot form in my gut. I had weapons on my bike so she wasn’t unarmed, but in her current state of mind, she might be too distracted to handle a threat. I sent up a silent prayer that she’d gone back to the command center, and I headed in that direction.

  Her single word of denial replayed in my head, along with the image of her distraught face. Not that I could fault her for reacting like that with the way things were between us. Since the night we’d spoken, I’d been trying to think of how to earn back her friendship and her trust, but she’d blocked any attempt to talk about that again.

  And now this.

  I had nearly destroyed the grips on Nikolas’s bike by the time I reached the command center. When I rounded the back of the house and saw my Ducati sitting outside the garage, I let out the breath I’d been holding since I hit the driveway.

  I parked and walked toward the guesthouse where a light shone from one of the windows. My Mori fluttered wildly when I got within a few feet of the front door, stopping me in my tracks for a long moment. Being able to sense her drove home the fact that we were bonded. I had to take a few steadying breaths before I stepped up and knocked on the door.

  When no one answered, I enhanced my hearing and picked up muted voices at the back of the house. Beth shared the house with Mason, so it had to be him she was talking to. It made sense for her to confide in her best friend, but the thought of her in there with another male did not sit well with my Mori.

  Solmi.

  I raised my hand to knock again when I heard footsteps approaching the door. It swung open to reveal Mason’s scowling face.

  He spoke in a low voice, not bothering to hide his displeasure at my presence. “She doesn’t want to see you.”

  I wasn’t surprised she didn’t want to talk to me yet, but I hadn’t expected the stab of pain in my chest at her rejection.

  “Is she okay?”

  “I don’t know. She came home crying and won’t tell me anything.”

  My gut clenched. “She’s crying?”

  “Yeah. What did you do to her?” he asked harshly. “Haven’t you made her cry enough?”

  “Fuck.” I raked a hand through my hair.

  Mason’s scowl deepened. “You going to tell me what happened?”

  It wasn’t like he wouldn’t know in a few hours, so I just came out with it. “Beth and I bonded.”

  He blinked several times, and I watched his expression change from anger to shock to understanding. “Shit.” He glanced over his shoulder and looked at me again. “I don’t know what to say. You and Beth…”

  I nodded. “Can you tell her I’m here when she’s ready to talk?”

  He looked like he was about to say something and changed his mind. “I’ll let her know. I better go to her.”

  The thought of him offering Beth comfort made me bristle with jealousy. We hadn’t been bonded an hour, and already I couldn’t stand the idea of another male with her, even her best friend.

  I took a step back so he could shut the door. Instead of going to the main house, I walked over to the pool and sank down on one of the cushioned chairs. I held my head in my hands as I tried to process the enormity of what had happened.

  For most of my adult life, I’d avoided intimacy with Mohiri women to lessen the odds of me bonding with one of them. It wasn’t that I was against mating. My parents were devoted to each other. I just hadn’t seen it as something for me. I’d figured if I ever met a potential mate, we would both go our separate ways and be done with it.

  What I hadn’t counted on was Beth. Of all the Mohiri females in the world, I’d bonded with the only one I couldn’t walk away from.

  My mind went back to that day at Longstone four years ago. I’d just come home after being away for the better part of a year. My parents had already moved to Germany, but I’d wanted to bring Beth the necklace I’d gotten her for her birthday. I’d promised her I’d be there for her sixteenth birthday, and I always kept my promises to her.

  The knock came as I was toweling my hair dry from my shower. Entering the bedroom, I grabbed a T-shirt and pulled it on as I walked out to get the door.

  I swung the door open and stared in confusion at the young blonde woman standing there with a smile lighting up her beautiful face. My eyes met her gray ones, and my breath caught as recognition hit me.

  Recovering from my surprise, I pulled her into a hug, only to discover what else had changed about her. Gone was the lanky girl, and in her place was a young woman with lush curves and a delicate floral scent that made me want to bury my face in her silky hair. Never had holding a woman felt so right – and so wrong.

  Shame slammed into me, and I ended the hug abruptly. Christ, what was wrong with me? This was Beth, not some woman I’d met in a bar.

  “Look at you,” I said as I fought to compose myself. “You grew up on me. When did this happen?”

  Her smile was radiant. “While you were running around the Amazon.”

  I waved her in and escaped to the bedroom, where I spent the next few minutes mentally castigating myself for having a single impure thought about her. Sixteen was almost an adult, but this was Beth. My Beth. She was young and innocent, and no male should be thinking of her as anything else, least of all me.

  Schooling my expression, I picked up the small tissue-wrapped box that contained the birthday present I’d bought Beth in Venezuela.

  Beth was sitting on the couch when I went back to her. I smiled and held the box out to her.

  “Happy birthday, Dove.”

  I took the farthest seat from her as she opened her present. In the past, I’d think nothing of sitting beside her, but things had changed between us. No matter how much I willed it otherwise, I no longer saw Beth as a little girl, and it felt inappropriate to sit close to her now.

  “I’m sorry I missed your birthday. But I hope this makes up for it. As soon as I saw it, I thought of you.”

  I’d been walking through an outdoor market when I’d come upon a vendor selling handmade silver jewelry. I’d always picked up toys and souvenirs for Beth, but the moment I spotted a dove pendant on a thin silver chain, I knew I had to buy it for her.

  Beth’s face flushed with pleasure as she lifted the chain from the box. “It’s perfect! I love it.”

  “I thought you might. Put it on, and let’s see it.”

  She stood and smiled sweetly, holding the necklace out to me. “Will you help me?”

  I froze for several seconds at her request. I didn’t want to get that close to her, but to refuse her would only make her realize something was off. I went to her and clasped the chain around her throat, trying to minimize contact with her skin. I hated that the little touches that had been so innocent the last time I saw her now felt wrong.

  Beth faced me, and I became all too aware of her proximity.

  “How does it look?” she asked, glowing with happiness.

  I backed up a step as if to get a better look. “Beautiful, just like the girl wearing it.”

  I wasn’t expecting her reaction, and I could only stand there as she hugged me tightly around the neck.

  “I love you, Chris,” she said breathlessly.

  I closed my eyes against the sudden tightness in my chest. “Love you too, Dove.”

  She gazed up at me, her eyes wide and guileless. “No, I mean I really love you.”

  It took several seconds for the meaning of her words to sink
in. I broke the hug as gently as I could and backed up a step, trying to figure out how to respond to her declaration.

  “Beth, you don’t mean that.”

  She frowned uncertainly, looking more like the young girl I knew. “Yes, I do.”

  “You’re only sixteen –”

  “I’ll be eighteen in two years,” she argued weakly.

  I’d had a similar thought a few minutes ago, but hearing her say it drove home just how young she was and how much she had yet to experience.

  “I know. But so much can happen in two years, and things you like now might not matter to you by then.”

  Her chin trembled. “It won’t change how I feel about you.”

  The hurt in her eyes was almost my undoing, and I had to refrain from pulling her into my arms and comforting her. It would only send her false signals, and I wouldn’t do that to her. It was hard enough to say what had to be said, knowing it would cause her more pain.

  “I’m sorry, Dove. I love you but not in that way.”

  Pain pricked my chest at the sight of the tears spilling down her cheeks and the knowledge that I’d hurt the one person I’d vowed to always protect. I reached for her, but she spun away.

  “Beth, please understand,” I called as she flung open the door and ran out.

  I’d planned to give Beth a day or two before I went to talk to her. But lying in bed that night, I couldn’t stop thinking about how she’d felt in my arms, and how much I wanted to hold her again. Disturbed by my thoughts, I’d gotten very little sleep.

  The next day, Rachel had come by, wanting to know why Beth had been in her room crying all night. In as few words as possible, I filled her in. I was surprised when she’d admitted she had known about Beth’s crush on me. I couldn’t believe I’d been oblivious to Beth’s feelings, and I’d wondered if maybe I’d said or done something to lead her on.

  It was Rachel who’d suggested I shouldn’t try to talk to Beth right away. She’d told me a girl needed time to get over her first heartbreak, and Beth would be embarrassed to see me. I’d agreed because it was in Beth’s best interest for us to not see each other. I couldn’t be around her until I’d rid myself of this attraction I felt for her.