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The smell of juniper berries was slowly driving Vero insane. His clothes felt too tight. He had already met with three of the females, and he had spoken more words in the last half hour than he had the entire past two years. He had to get out of this room. This was ridiculous.

“What?” Lyrica asked, her eye s spitting mad.

He had heard Jonathan refer to her eyes as warm chocolate, and he disagreed with that assessment. Her eyes were more of a dark, burnt honey with a depth that tempted him too much. Somehow they reflected hints of gold, chestnut, and earth tones, turning her into a female of mystery. Those eyes held secrets…and sadness. Both drew him, and that irritated him more than anything else.

He heard the back door open, and then one of his soldiers peered around the corner from the kitchen. The relief that filtered through him would embarrass him later. “Come.” He stood and grasped Lyrica’s arm, pulling her up.

“What are you doi ng?” she asked.

“I’m not leaving you sitting at the table alone.” He might not be a gentleman or anything close to it, but even he knew that much. Plus, he had tired of her speaking wi th other males.

She looked around, then gathered her skirts, falling into step beside him. Apparently he wasn’t the only one wanting to flee the stupi d speed dating.

Jonathan waved to her and she waved back.

Vero looked down at her pert nose. “He’s our burliest and strongest soldier, it’s true. However, he was kicked in the head by a ho rse, you know.”

“I heard, ” she murmured.

“His IQ is only around two hundred at the very most,” Vero muttered, pulling her along. “The injury occurred when he was young enough to affect him for the rest of his life.” They reached the kitchen. “Silas,” Ver o said quietly.

At around three hundred years old, Silas had red eyes several shades lighter than his lips. His torso tapered from a muscled chest to a narrow waist. He craned his neck to see beyond Vero. “That lo oks miserable.”

“Yes.” Vero saw no need to go into detail. “Why are you still in camp?”

“I wanted to review the surveillance and computer equipment orders again.” He pulled a piece of paper out of his back pocket a nd unfolded it.

Vero read it over quickly. “The lis t is complete.”

“Cameras and computers?” Lyrica asked, leaning closer, her breast brush ing Vero’s arm.

Electricity arced through him, landing forcefully in his groin. His growl had her stiffening.

“The cameras for the interior of the encampment, and the computers to connect us to the outside world,” Silas said, clueless to the undercurrents. “We worked on ammunition supply, military infrastructure, and safety from outside attack first, although we don’t have satellite or internet reach yet. Also, we didn’t think we’d need interior surveillance. Apparently we do since someone attacked and killed that poor human female. Yet one more thing t o worry about.”

Vero edged toward the door. “Silas, there’s a break in the snowfall now.”

Silas puffed out his chest and smiled at Lyrica. “You look real pretty in that dress, Lyrica.”

Pink filtered across her cheekbones. “Thank you, Silas. That’s nice of you to say.”

Irritation climbed down Vero’s back. “You want to join the speed dating?”

“No. Hell no.” Silas straightened his uniform with the silver medallions on h is left breast.

“Change clothes,” Ver o reminded him.

Silas glanced down at his pressed uniform. “I know. The mechanics are getting the helicopter warmed up. I have time to become more humanlike.” He cleared his throat. “I saw Doc for my injection and he wanted me to remind you that the facility in Dakota with the mind-wiping protoco l needs funds.”

Damn it. Vero glared a t him. “On it.”

Lyrica jerked. “What ? Mind wiping?”

Silas nodded, obviously missing the tone of her voice. “Sure. For the females we release back to the human world.” He winked at Lyrica and hustled out into the cold, shutting t he door loudly.

Vero just might have t o kill the guy.

She whirled on him. “Wait a minute. You and Paxton said you liked my idea of giving them a million dollars and having NDAs. You can’t mess wit h their minds.”

He didn’t want to deal with this. “We do l ike your idea.”

She stared at him. “So you are not going to wipe t heir memories.”

“We haven’t decided.” That was the truth, and he needed to speak with P axton about it.

She drew up. “Okay. Then I want to discuss the matter with you both.”

“Fine.”

Lyrica looked over her shoulder as the buzzer rang for everybody to move tables. “I don’t suppose we have to go back in,” she said softly, hop e in her voice.

Amusement ticked thr ough him. “No.”

She looked toward the window in the top of the door. “It’s a beautiful night. The moon is bright.” She bit her bottom lip a s if undecided.

“I’m finished,” he said curtly. It seemed a waste of time to meet the females since he had no plans to ma te one of them.

Her face lit up. “Then I can’t go back in. Perhaps I’ll run to the warehouse for more of the sparkling water. Apparently, it’ s a huge hit.”

“Good,” Vero grunted. “I’ ll escort you.”

“I can make it,” she said, reachin g for the door.

He grasped her arm and pulled her back. “Jacket.” He looked at the multitude of coats and jackets on every hook in the mudroom just off the kitchen. He had no idea where they all had come from. “W here is yours?”

She shook her head. “Upstairs in my room. I hadn’t planned to leave t he main lodge.”

The female needed a keeper. He removed a long wool coat off a rack. “Wear this.” The deep blue cashmere felt soft ag ainst his skin.

“That’s not m ine,” she said.

“It’s not anybody’s.” He took her arm and pulled it through, before doing the same with the other one. While she protested, he buttoned up the coat and grabbed a heavy black scarf out of a cubby to wrap around her neck. He looked down at her little shoes. “Huh.” Ducking, he rummaged in the nearest basket and removed a pair of snow bo ots. “Step in.”

“They’re not mine,” she protested.

He leveled up, meeting h er gaze. “Now.”

“You might try a complete sentence once in a while.” She stepped into the boots, keeping her flats on. “Th ey’re too big.”

He tied them both. “They’ll keep your feet warm.” There. That was a complete fucking sentence. She was human and had no clue how frozen she could get. The image of the dead and frozen female from the night before flashed through his head. “Gloves.”

“No. I’ll use my pockets. I’m not taking someone else’s gloves.” She slapped his abs, branding him without knowing it. That touch. It tore through him with the force of a gale, filling every pore. She had no clue the dang er she courted.

He opened th e door. “Fine.”

She faltered. “Don’t yo u need a coat?”

“No.” He hadn’t felt the cold in a decade . Maybe longer.

Giving him a look, one of pure sass, she stomped outside in the large boots and down the two steps to the frozen ground. He shut the door, relieved as the frigid night air washed over him. Years ago he’d been taken by a rival Cyst group and tortured before his uncles had rescued him. Speed dating had been worse.

He gripped her upper arm, careful to keep from flexing his fingers. As a human female, her fragility couldn’t be overestimat ed. “It’s icy.”

“I know.” She clopped awkwardly in the boots. With the moonlight shining down, her eyes shone like rare brown diamonds with all their alluring facets. “Can I ask you something?”

He grunted his assent, his senses tuning into the environment around them, searchi ng for threats.

“Are you a virgin?” s he blurted out.

He halted them both and turned, staring down at her rapidly reddening face. What the fuck?

* * * *

Lyrica barely kept herself from slapping a hand over her mouth. The question about Kurjans had been on her mind since she had come up with the speed dating idea, but she hadn’t known how to ask. Not once had she meant to be personal just with Vero. Except, she couldn’t stop thinking about him. Big and dangerous, his too-blue eyes held a sadness that no amount of his anger could veil. That drew her. More than his hard-assed and muscular body. “I’m sorry,” she breathed. “That’s not how I meant to broac h the subject.”

“The subject?” He barely cocked his head while brushing a piece of her too-wild hair away from her face.

Desire dropped into her abdomen while her skin heated. Just from one tiny touch. She stared up, way up, to his sharply carved face. “Yes. It’s part of my job to know what I’m working with when it comes to matching prospective mates.” Did that make sense? Her mouth had taken over and was just spe wing out words.

He blinked. Just once. Then he tapped the bridge of his nose as if trying to concentrate, his eyelids b riefly closing.

She winced. “I really didn’t me an to be rude.”

His eyelids opened and the world filled with blue. For a second. “No.”

“You’re not a virgin?” A surprising disappointment flickered through her. Why? Seriously. Had she thought she could introduce him to pleasure? What was wrong with her head? Her body. Yeah, that was it. Her body was trying to take over. Bad bod y. Bad. “Vero?”

“No. Why?”

She took a deep breath and winced as frozen air burned her lungs. “It’s just, well, that the Kurjans have been so isolated from everyone else. Look where you live. In the middle of mountain ranges away from all civilization.” Her hands were freezing in the pockets so she scrunched her fingers into a fist. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

One of his dark eyebrows rose. They were so much darker than most Kurjans’. “Do I loo k embarrassed?”

She studied his face. His bone structure appeared sharp enough to hurt anybody who tried to punch him in his immortal face. His eyes glowed a Prussian blue, and mere curiosity hinted in his expression. No doubt because he let it. Heat and an undefinable tension rolled off him to surround them both with a hint of warmth. Power. Yeah, that was it. Power streamed from the guy. “No, you don’t loo k embarrassed.”

“Why do you?”

Apparently, some of the heat in her face resulted from a furious blush. “I don’t usually talk about sex with , um, friends.”

“Is that what we are? Friends?”

Was he mocking her? His expression hadn’t changed, but his lips had pursed with just a bit of arrogance. “Yes. We’re friends.”

“Hm.” He slid his fingers into her hair and brushed his callused thumb gently across her cheekbone.

She blinked rapidly, her breath quickening, her knees locking. Her clit aching. “What are you doing?”

“Not feeling friendly.” He leaned down, his mouth an inch from hers. “Talking about sex doesn’t bother me. Why does it turn you red?” His hot breath warmed her lips and somehow seeped into her mouth, heating down her throat, past her breasts, right to her aching sex.

“Vero.” It was the only word that came to mind. She tried to shake her head to get her bearings, but his casual touch kept her firmly facing him. Desire fired even stronger inside her, and she bit back a moan. This wasn’t healthy. Or normal. For the love of Pete, she had to get herself under control. Under her own control. Not his. “So you’ve ha d girlfriends?”

His lips twitched but didn’t curve into a smile. “No. I’ve had extensive training in sexual practices, lik e all Kurjans.”

What? She jolte d. “Excuse me?”

“When we turn sixteen, we’re sent to one of several houses to learn about sex. How to perfect it. Those places are not on t his continent.”

Should she be disgusted or curious? Was it possible to be both? “The partners? They were willing?”

“Very. Apparently, Kurjans are unique even in the world of sex and money. Don’t forget that we can read people. I promise, with my utmost assurance, that I’ve never been with an unwilling partner. We’re not the monst ers you think.”

It was the most he’d ever said to her at once. “But you’ve forced females to mate through the centuries.”

“So have the vampires and demons, until recently. Same with humans—who still do so. There are plenty of human countries where fathers give daughters awa y, even today.”

She couldn’t argue with his facts . “It’s wrong.”

“Yes. Which is why we’re changing. You saw Paxton sign the new direct ives into law.”

She had, which is why she felt comfortable with the speed dating. “Besides these sex houses, have you ever been with a female? Or a male?” Curiosity. It had it s grasp on her.

“Yes. Female, not male. No judgment, but I like females.” Still too close to her, his gaze swept her body, leaving tingles everywhere those twilight blue eyes lingered. “The sun harms us. Not the moon. My cousin and I often ventured into human cities and bars to meet females.” His thumb caressed her cheekbone again. “That’s a familiar practice for all Kurjans. By masking the red if there’s any in our hair, wearing contacts, and darkening our skin, we look almost human.”

Oh. Well, all righty then. “Good. I’m happy for you.”

His lips parted. Not in a smile but perhaps the promise of one. “Disappointed?”

“No,” she lied.

“Hmm.” Now his gaze dropped to her lips. “Falsehoods from you don’t seem right,” he mused. His fingers tangled in her hair and he tugged back her head, his mouth on hers before she could take a breath.

Rough, wet, and hard, he kissed her, forcing every thought out of her brain. Liquid magma poured down her throat, turning her body into an inferno surrounded by frigid air.

Hot and cold.

Fire and ice.

Pa ssion and need.

His tongue swept hers, and her body burned hotter. Blood pounded into her clit. He pulled her closer, against unmovab le hard muscle.

She kissed him back, overtaken. All of her softening into pure female, a hundred percent, in a way she’d never imagined.

He lifted away, and she murmured in protest, slowly opening her eyelids. Needing him. He slowly turned his head, his gaze sharpening as it landed on the main lodge.

“Wha —” she started.

Then the windows on the top floor blew out in a shattering explosion, glass flying and fire shooting outside only to be sucked back in as if swallowed by a massive vacuum.

“Paxton!” Vero yelled, releasing her and running tow ard the flames.