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“How long are you going to let this go on?”

She glared at Vadim.“Okay, I’ll tell them.”

“This is all very nice of you, but I do have some news of my own to share?—”

Before she could continue, Dave cleared his throat. “I didn’t get you anything.”

“That’s okay. Seeing you is all the present I need.”

He stood up suddenly and glared at her parents. Beside her Vadim tensed. “I thought you’d like to know that I got into that Otherworld class down at UCLA. I’m going to be a licensed medic in both realms by the end of the year.”

Ella rose too, then hugged him hard. “And that’s the best present ever. I’m so proud of you.”

He shrugged out of her embrace. “It’s the least I can do to make up for the rest of this family’s neglect.”

“Excuse me?” Darlene’s voice rose on each syllable. “We’ve done nothing wrong. We’re members of a close and loving family!”

“Ella could hardly be described as being close, Mom. She was stuck in Otherworld.” Dave turned his full attention on their mother. “You sent her away and never even let her come back for vacations.”

Darlene squared up to him. “I did what was best for us all!”

“No, you did what was best for yourself. You always do.” Dave shook his head. “And it’s too late to argue about it now, isn’t it, when she’s going to disappear on us again, this time forever. Do you really think a homemade quilt is going to make it up to her? ”

“Well, that’s just it, Dave, I’m?—”

The door flew open and Madison sauntered in, her gaze drawn immediately to Vadim. She wore kitty pajama pants slung low on her hips and a bikini top. Her long blond hair hung straight down her back, and her makeup was perfect—if you liked teenagers looking forty.

“Sorry I’m late. Happy birthday, big sis. I didn’t get you anything. I didn’t see the point. Haven’t you gone nuts yet?”

“I think I might start right now.” Ella glared at her sister as she insinuated herself into the nonexistent space beside Vadim on the couch and cuddled up to him. “As I’ve been trying to say for the past few minutes, I’d like to thank you for the presents and the birthday wishes.”

“You’re welcome, Ella,” her parents said dutifully.

Dave muttered something uncomplimentary and took another swallow of his beer. Vadim inched away from Madison’s questing hands and kept his gaze fixed firmly on Ella.

“I never thought I’d live past my twenty-seventh birthday, but it seems I was mistaken.”

“They found a cure?” her father asked.

“Well, not exactly.” She took a deep breath. “I changed my mind and took the Otherworld Community Outreach Services mate offered to me.”

The silence was deafening.

“You took amate?You mean you have aman?” Darlene gripped her hands together until her fingers were as white as her face. “Where is he?”

Ella pointed at Vadim. “Right there. Why else do you think I’d bring him?”

“Nice.”

“Can it, Morosov. Can’t you see I’m nervous as hell?”

“What exactly does it mean?” Her dad sat forward. “I know you mentioned it as an option years ago, but you seemed so set against it. What changed your mind?”

Madison waved a hand in front of her father’s face. “Duh,Dad,have youlookedat Vadim? He’shot.He’s also, like, way out of her league. How could she say no?” She poked Vadim in the side. “The real question here is, why the hell did you saddle yourself with my sister?”

“He didn’t. He was matched with me by the Otherworld mating service.”

“Like an arranged marriage?”