Then he gentled. The deadly fangs retracted, and he licked her wound.
His rough tongue sent desire spinning through her entire body as if he’d licked her from head to toe. She bit back a soft sigh of need and forced herself to keep from pressing harder against him. Confusion fuzzed her mind—she’d never felt like this.
He set her down and stepped back. A dark flush covered his face while his eyes had morphed to pure gold. “You taste like sunshine and honey.”
She exhaled heavily, her heart racing, her breath fighting to pant out. Instead, she calmed herself. “What the heck?”
Massive shoulders moved when he shrugged. The raw desire on his face belied the casual move. “Now we both can find each other, and don’t say I didn’t warn you. The last thing you want is for me to be able to find you.”
“Would you hurt me?” She lowered her voice to a soft note, holding threat.
He blinked twice. “I don’t ever want to hurt you, Janie.”
That wasn’t a “no.” Resisting the urge to rub her neck, she met his gaze. “What are you besides a vampire?”
“I’m the man who now has your taste, sweetheart.” The endearment contradicted the angry glint in his eye. “Don’t look for me, and don’t even think about dragging me into a pretend world again. Next time I’ll do more than bite you.”
Janie Kayrs had never been a coward. Threats did nothing but irritate her. Putting her hands on her hips, she stepped toward him. “Oh yeah? Like what?”
Admiration filled his gaze while dark amusement lifted his full lip. “You know you’re the prize, right?”
“I don’t like your phrasing.”
“Too bad.” He lost his smile. “Every single species out there wants you. Every single species out there has oracles, psychics, and seers who have prophesied your coming. Right or wrong—they’re all coming for you.”
“So?”
“So, here you are meeting in secret with someone who has clearly told you we’re not on the same side. Or at least, we don’t want the same outcome. And I—have—your—blood.”
Ah, but she had him. “I trust you.”
“Then stop it.” His harsh tone set birds to fluttering high above. “Grow the hell up.”
She smiled and stepped even closer, feminine power flushing through her. “Oh Zane . . . I’m all grown up now.”
He put out a large-boned hand to stop her movements. “Jesus, Janie. Don’t make this easy on me.”
“Easy on you?”
He snorted. “Yes. Easy on me. My God. Do you have any idea the power your mate will have—will gain just by mating you? With not only his people but all of the world?”
Mate? She tried to swallow and ended up coughing instead. Finally gasping a breath, she shook her head. “I wasn’t offering to mate you.”
“Weren’t you?” His voice lowered, and a dark flush spread across his high cheekbones.
“No.” Okay, sure she always thought she’d end up with Zane. But she wasn’t throwing herself at the vampire, for goodness’ sake. Doubt clouded in. Would Zane use her to end the war—even if that meant the Realm lost? How far would he go for his people, whoever they were? “Why won’t you just tell me who you are?”
“Now that’s a question you should spend some time with, Belle.” He drew in a deep breath. “You’re right that you’re an adult now—all grown up. I’m done protecting you for your own good. You yank me into your world again, and I’ll do what I need for my people. Believe me, Janie.”
At the last entreaty, she saw the boy he’d once been. Young, carefree, full of honor. “I do believe you.” Sweeping her hand out, the world disappeared.
Her legs cramped. Groaning, Janie unfurled from her position on the chair and flexed her calves. Silence pounded all around her in the underground haven. She ran her fingers across the twin puncture wounds that ached in her neck. Great. Now she’d have to wear turtlenecks for a week.
An odd thrill coursed through her at the thought of wearing Zane’s mark.
She hadn’t gotten the answers she’d wanted, but Zane had said enough to make her think. If nothing else, he was still not understanding her. Sure, she’d wanted to work together to end the war. But like Zane, she’d make sacrifices for her family and her people.
The vampire was making a serious mistake in underestimating her. Her relationship with him was turning into more war than love.
But all was fair . . . now wasn’t it?
CHAPTER 21
Amber relaxed in the queen’s quarters, her shoulders settling down as she sank into the plush sofa. The plush, cotton blend of a sofa.
Emma smiled. “Okay. Now I’m going to try to read your mind, so you think of something fun.”
“Can you really read minds?”
“I don’t know. Dage can read minds, and I’m supposed to get his gifts at some point, so maybe I can read your mind. Maybe not. But Kane wants to test your gifts against everyone else’s, so let’s give it a try.”
Amber nodded and thought of an old Star Trek movie.
Emma took a deep breath. “You’re thinking about cows.”
“No.”
“Chickens?”
“No.”
“Ice cream sandwiches?”
“No. I don’t think you can read minds.” Amber bit back a smile at the queen’s disappointed look. “What else you got?”
“I’m psychic.” Emma sounded downright sad about that fact. “And I can only see the future once in a while. My sister, Cara, is an empath, and we’ll have you work with her as soon as she gets home from feline territory. Both Talen and Dage have cleared time on their schedules to work with you later today.”
A knock on the door drew their attention to the exit. Hilde swept inside, her face a pretty pink.
Amber shook her head. How odd to see her grandmother so young.
Emma stood and gestured Hilde to an oversized chair. “Have a seat, Mrs. Freebird.”
“Hilde, sweetheart.” Hilde sat. “I want to have sex.”
Amber jerked her head and started coughing so hard her lungs hurt.
Emma’s mouth opened, but no sound came out.
Hilde rolled her eyes. “For goodness’ sake, girls. I haven’t had sex in twenty-five years. I want sex.” She smacked Amber’s back several times to stem the coughing.
Emma shook her head. “Um, Mrs. . . . Hilde, you’re, ah, mated. There’s no, um, sex.”
“I know.” Hilde waited until Amber stopped sputtering before sitting back. “Janie was telling me about this new Virus-27 that actually takes away the mating aspect. I want that virus.”
“Oh.” Thoughts scattered across Emma’s face. “Well, the virus does take away the mating aspect, and you, ah, could have sex then. But the virus is still dangerous, and while it’s slow in progression, it still progresses. We don’t know at what point it will lose potency, if at any point.”
“So it could eventually kill anyone who is infected?” Hilde pursed her lips together.
“Yes.” The queen clasped her hands in her lap. “We’ve cured shifters from the virus, but vampire mates and witches are still susceptible. It might take a hundred years for the virus to either kill them or run its course, but we don’t know what will happen. Of course, we plan to find a cure long before then.”