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His scarred face tilted up at the sound of his name.

The hellhound’s silver eyes reflected her image like twin mirrors. Except, the woman she saw in their reflection wasn’t Alex the Freak or Alex the monster.

In Titan’s eyes, she was just Alex.

He cocked his head in an adorable way she couldn’t resist. “Hey there, buddy.” She dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around his thick neck. Titan stilled, waiting patiently while she rubbed her nose in his velvet fur.

Calm enveloped her, quieting her soul. Here was total acceptance. No judgment for what she’d done or who she’d become. This hellhound, with all he had been through and all his scars, offered comfort when she needed it the most, asking little in return.

With a final pat on his head, she rose to her feet. A chill ran through her at the loss of his warmth.

Jericho’s concern slid over her nerve endings. “The cold is to be expected while you’re in transition. Eventually, your body temperature will return to normal.” He cupped her cheek, the turmoil of his emotions consuming her. “Alex, I’m so sorry—”

She pressed her fingers to his lips, cutting him off.

“Don’t be. I’d have sacrificed everything just to spend one more day with you. Despite the circumstances, being with you now is still a blessing.”

The muscled planes of his chest drew tight beneath her hand, and she sensed him reining in his emotions, trying not to overwhelm her.

With a heavy sigh, he took a cautious step back. “You should shower. It will warm you up and ease your stiffness.”

Alex nodded. She’d rather stay in his arms, but a hot shower sounded good. She remembered the agony of lying on the floor of the warehouse prison while fire burned through her veins. How she’d bit her hand to hold back her screams, fearful it would enrage the rogue Jericho had become.

He watched her closely, and his worry hummed through her nerve endings. “I imagine Doc Randall didn’t have much time to explain what your transition will entail. Speed, strength, senses, everything heightened. It will be years before you grow immune to the sun.” His tone thickened with remorse.

Her heart sank at the reminder. Losing the sun had been the least of her worries. Until now, her sole focus had been keeping her sanity. “With my ability so out of control, I haven’t given it much thought.”

“Have you…fed yet?” Jericho’s voice deepened.

“No,” she whispered.

Dark embers smoldered in his eyes. “Something we will soon remedy.”

* * *

Jericho droppedhis shirt over the back of a chair. Black slacks hung low on his hips. Candlelight cast a warm glow over the room, and dancing shadows flickered on the walls. He’d turned down the ebony sheets on his bed. The only thing missing was Alex.

He strode to the bedroom window and eased the curtain aside. Outside, thick clouds ruled over a moonless night. Lightning streaked across the sky, and thunder rumbled the hardwood floor under his bare feet. The impending storm did little to soothe his ragged nerves.

He scrubbed a hand over the tightening muscles in his stomach. In all the battles he’d fought over the centuries, none had ever tied his gut into knots. Although, he’d never faced such a headstrong opponent. If Alex refused, he could never bring himself to force her. That didn’t mean he wasn’t above using every trick at his disposal.

The sound of falling water grew silent. Minutes later, the bathroom door opened. He turned, his heart seizing beneath his ribs.

Alex took hesitant steps into the room. Damp strands of crimson fell over her shoulders, and a white towel draped her curvy body, revealing a tantalizing amount of skin.

She rubbed the side of her neck, an anxious frown on her face.

“What’s wrong?”

“Your mark is gone, the one that branded me as your Chosen.”

His tension eased. She was upset his brand was gone? It was an issue he would soon correct.

She shifted her attention to the candlelit room, and her hand slid from her neck, full lips rounding with an “oh”of surprise.

He closed the distance between them, needing her closer, blocking her escape. “Vampires can’t be claimed as Chosen. Not that it will matter once you become my Bride.”

“What?” she gasped, eyes flaring.