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Madison patted the couch next to her. “So, Vadim, tell us all about your family. Do you have any brothers or gorgeous male cousins?”

“Both my siblings are dead.” He remained standing by Ella. “But I still have quite a large family.”

“Ooh, are they local? Can you introduce me to some hot dudes?”

“Madison!”Darlene thundered. “You are hardly old enough to be dating anyone!” She turned to smile at Vadim. “Are your family from around here? We’d love to meet them.”

She felt Vadim hesitate and replied for him. “No, they’re not. He’s Russian, remember?”

“Oh, that’s true, I don’t suppose that nasty government over there lets people out much.” She waved at her husband. “Shall we have a drink to celebrate Vadim joining our family?”

“How about my survival, Mom? Isn’t that worth celebrating too?”

Darlene patted her hand “But you wouldn’t have survived if Vadim here hadn’t agreed to ‘mate’ with you, whatever that means.”

“It means Ella and I are bonded physically, emotionally and psychically for life.”

She glanced up at him while he was speaking. There wasn’t a hint of mockery in his voice or his expression. When he said it like that, it sounded so…permanent.

“It is.”

“Shut up!”

“You might as well get married, then!” Darlene laughed. “Although I don’t envy you having to deal with all that Otherworld stuff.” She hesitated. “Youdoknow about that, don’t you?”

“Oh, he knows. Probably more than I do.”

Darlene continued to ignore Ella and grill Vadim, while her father passed out glasses of champagne. “And you’re okay with her being like that?”

“I’m fine with it. I wouldn’t have volunteered to be an OCOS mate if I hadn’t been.”

Darlene patted his cheek. “You’re obviously a saint.”

Ella made a gagging sound. “Hardly that.”

Darlene grabbed her elbow and steered her into the kitchen. “You should be grateful he took you on, Ella. Now that you have him hooked, try not to lose him too quickly, okay?”

Ella took the bag of peanuts her mom handed her and dumped them in a bowl. Several bounced out onto the floor. “Didn’t you hear what he said? We’re in this together for life.”

“Men say these things, dear, but do they really mean them?” Darlene pointed her bread knife at Ella. “Let’s hope he’s not the kind to stray.”

“Yes, Mom.” She picked up the bowl of peanuts, aware of a strong desire to burst out laughing. How had her redemption turned out to be all about Vadim? “Let’s hope.”

She walked through into the family room and found Vadim in conversation with Scott and Julie. He looked up and she grinned at him. Within a second he was by her side.

“What’s so funny?”

“This.”

“Your family?”

“My mom just told me you would probably stray. Should I arrange to have you neutered?”

His smile was breathtaking. “You know you’d regret that.”

“Will you stray?”

He held her gaze. “Never.”