more.'
'No, I won't expect you to touch me whatsoever. I won't expect sex.'
'The altruistic vampire. And you're just going to be doing these things to me and not reacting?'
He ran his free hand over his mouth. 'No, I believe I will be reacting quite a bit. Let me worry about my reactions. You have my word. No more. No less.'
She tilted her head. 'And then I get the prize?'
'When I'm done with what I plan.'
She didn't like how his words shot a spike of desire through her. 'You might break the egg. Give it to me first.'
'Not likely. I'll keep it safe, and you know you'll get it after. Unlike you, I keep my word.'
'You won't go dental on me?' At his nonplussed look, she said, 'No biting. Or I swear to the gods, I will bite you back, and you won't like it.'
This seemed to amuse him for some reason. 'No biting. I vow it, though I've always suspected you capable of checking me like that.'
How could she do this? How could she not? For the prize, she could.
For her curiosity, she... must.
What would it be like to be a slave to his touch for one whole night? When she acknowledged her answer to herself, she glanced away and muttered, 'I'm flying across the Atlantic tonight.' She flushed, already imagining him in that lavish stateroom bed on the jet with her. 'You could accompany me.'
He was doing that hesitant-stepping-forward thing again. 'You want me to go on your plane with you?'
'If you want to take your payment in the next twenty-four hours.'
He crossed to her until they were toe-to-toe. 'Why not let me trace you back across the Atlantic?'
'You can only go to places you've been before, and I'm betting you've never been where I'm going,' she answered, gazing up at him. 'Besides, I take flying time to rest.'
She swallowed nervously when he rasped, 'I wouldn't count on resting this evening.'
Hours later Kaderin paced in the main cabin of the jet, furious over more things than she could process.
The first: Because of the Lykae's stunt, she was being forced into this situation with Sebastian. And she'd left the diamonds. Silly Valkyrie.
The second: Two of her half-sisters, her coven mates, had been wed, and she'd heard of it after the fact. They are so not getting gifts from me. Were her sisters that averse to her presence at weddings? Am I that dismal?
The third: As if she weren't already nervous about Sebastian coming over, now she kept thinking about his past. As in all wars, the Valkyrie had had a correspondent in the field covering the Northern War, and they'd learned that the Wroth brothers were brutal warlords known for their skill and ferocity. The brothers had bought their people a decade of freedom against a force much greater in number.
No wonder Sebastian had known how to fight so well.
The eldest—Myst's husband—was the most well known, but Kaderin had definitely heard of Sebastian as well. He'd been a master strategist, a harsh commanding officer, and a ruthless warrior.
She'd seen that authoritative officer side of him today, had heard it in the tone of his voice. And the way he'd eyed that trickling bead of sweat, his eyes so intent, let her know he was going to be ruthless with her tonight.
He'd be arriving within hours, but that fact hadn't sunk in until she'd told the pilots to delay their takeoff from San Luis until twenty minutes past sunset—and not to disturb her for any reason during this trip...
All of this was Bowen's fault. What in the hell was he even doing competing and why was he so determined to win? He was as unwavering as she was. A sinking suspicion came, and she rang Emma's sat phone, hoping to catch her in Scotland.
'Kaderin! It's so good to hear from you!' Emma said, sounding delighted. 'Regin told me you were feeling again. Congratulations, Kiddy-Kad! That must be so cool, I've got so much I want to ask you about that, and, oh, oh, did they tell you—get this—I got married!'
'I heard, sweet. Congratulations. Emma, I'd love to talk to you about all that, but first, tell me, do you know of a Lykae named Bowen?'
'Sure,' Emma said, then asked, 'Why do you want to know?'
'You're not following the Hie online?' Yes, they were honeymooners, but still...
Show Kaderin some love.
Kaderin had her answer when she heard the sounds of teeth snapping and fabric being ripped. Emma cried, 'Lachlain! Oh! I'm running out of clothes!'
'Buy—more,' came a muffled growl.
Kaderin assured herself she was not jealous that Emma was seventy years old and already had found a gorgeous, mondo-rich king. Oh, and one who had proven he would die for her and was at this moment ripping off her clothes with his fangs. Emma was everything that was sweet and lovely, and after her trials—and near death— she deserved her new life as Lachlain's queen.
Still, Kaderin sighed, unable to help feeling very old and very alone. Then she recalled that she wouldn't be alone for long. She had a man coming over this very night... to do things to her. She shivered, then shook herself. 'Emma, about Bowen... '
'Oh, Bowe. Sure, I know him. Know he's supercali hot.' A male sound of displeasure had her covering the phone and saying, 'Not as hot as you are!'
So Emma's new werewolf husband was the jealous type? Kaderin rolled her eyes.
'Yeah, Bowe's got that tortured, brooding thing going on. He lost his mate in the eighteen hundreds, and he's done nothing but search for a way to reunite with her ever since.'
The breath left Kaderin's body, and she sank onto the bed.
'Kaderin, I-I kind of have to go. Can you call me later?'
'Sure, Emma. Have fun,' she said absently, then hung up. At least now I know what I'm truly up against. In Bowen's mind, this win equaled the life of his mate. But how would he know to enter? Who was the friend he'd referred to who'd alerted him to the contest?
Her dismay rapidly turning to ire, Kaderin dialed the coven, calling for Nïx.
For once, Kaderin found it fortunate when Regin answered. She wasted no time on pleasantries. 'Any reason you didn't tell me Myst married a general in the Forbearer army, more specifically a vampire?'
'Lookit, I didn't want to distract you from your job,' Regin said. 'This Hie is your Big Thing. And I know when I first found out, I was seriously, fucking, shrieking distracted. I mean, I knew you would never get freaked out— well, at least, you wouldn't used to—but I thought it would be prudent to just hold off a few days. It was my idea, not Myst's.'
'This connection might have been nice to know in certain situations, Regin. For instance, that vampire in Antarctica that you almost killed is now our brother-in-law!'
'No way! Nikolai Wroth's brother?' A pause. 'But does that matter? Can't we still kill him? I wouldn't have told anyone if you wouldn't have. What happens in the South Pole, stays in the—'
'Regin, if you keep something like this from me again, I will annihilate you. You know I'm stronger than you are.'
'Ah, but I'm wily.'
Kaderin exhaled. 'How can Myst be certain he won't turn?'
'I'm not exactly speaking to her.'
'Then just let me talk to Nïx.'
A second later, Nïx said in a jovial tone, 'Kiddy-Kad!'
'Nïx, why is it that Bowen MacRieve—a Lykae who lost his mate—would know to enter this competition to retrieve her? Let me add that I know Bowen attended Emma's wedding, as did you—a soothsayer.'
'Um, I dunno. Dumb luck?' Nïx said. Kaderin could just see Nïx twirling her silky black hair, trying to appear innocent. Which reminded Kaderin... sometimes tasks repeated.
'Cut off all your hair,' she said, her tone seething. 'Then shear it every day thereafter until I tell you to stop.'
