Emma grabbed her ponytail and tugged in exasperation. “I don’t know. I’ve experimented with the Kurjan blood we’ve had on hand, and it hasn’t reacted differently in a test tube than did vampire or demon blood. But test tubes obviously don’t create the same environment as the enhanced human female body.”
Benny moved around the queen, shoved the coffee table out of the way, and knelt next to Karma. “Fight this, sweetheart. You can do it.”
She didn’t move.
He gave in and rested his hand over hers, trying to give her some of his strength.
Fire burned his hand and ran up his arm, while an ugly red rash swept along her smooth skin from wrist to neck. Blisters formed instantly.
“Crap.” Emma jumped off the chair and landed on her knees next to him.
Benny’s mouth opened, and he snapped it shut, glaring at the raw blisters on his forearm. “I just hurt her.”
Emma took out a cream from her bag and liberally rubbed it over Karma’s rash. “It’s the mating allergy. Apparently it’s strong right now. I’m hoping that’s a good sign?” She finished and handed the tube to Benny.
Benny didn’t want to feel better. “If her mating is stronger rather than weaker, as evidenced by this fucking rash, then I’m thinking it is not a good sign.” Had he gone and allowed her to end her life? What had he been thinking? They’d rushed into this because of his egotistical idea that he’d give her a bunch of money and teach her to be independent and have a fun life. He was an asshole.
Dage peered at the rash over Emma’s shoulder. “If her body is fighting the virus, the mating allergy should be weaker, right?”
“I don’t know,” Emma whispered. “It seems that her mating bond is beating the virus right now. I’d give her another dose, but that would most likely kill her after negating the bond. If it can be negated.” She looked at Benny. “Are you sure her mate is dead?”
“Yes. She said he’s been dead for at least two centuries.”
Emma reached for the thermometer and pulled it out, aiming the red glow at Karma’s head. She read the screen and stood. “She’s at one hundred fifteen. We have to get her into an ice bath. Now.”
Chapter Nine
Karma drifted in and out of consciousness. Different things touched her. There was something very cold, something hot, something furry, something prickly, something hard. So many somethings, so many surfaces.
So many dead people all around her. Where had they all come from? She wasn’t feeling well enough to help them all right now.
Linda hovered at her side, her black hair almost down to her waist, her light brown eyes filled with concern. “Karma? Where are my babies? You promised you’d protect them. Where are they?” Her voice echoed as if she were stuck in a chamber of some sort.
Karma tried to answer her and provide some reassurance, but her voice refused to work.
Linda came closer and grabbed Karma’s arm with fingers that burned with the cold. “Where are my babies? You have to find them. You have to take care of them.”
The frozen pain burned through Karma’s veins, and she cried out. “Stop. Please, stop,” she begged, trying to pull away.
“Karma. Hold still.” The voice was firm and the pressure on her shoulder wide. A big hand held a furry blanket to her.
She obeyed instantly, seeking the voice. She knew it. Breathing in, she caught a scent. Citrus and wild forest. “I can’t do it,” she whispered.
“You can and you will.” Minty breath brushed her ear as the voice grew closer. “Hold still and let the virus do its job.”
That wasn’t what she’d meant. “But—”
“Nothing. Take a deep breath in. Now,” he ordered.
She breathed in, letting her lungs expand fully. That was not a voice to ignore.
“Good. Do it again,” he said.
She breathed in and out, trying to take in more of his scent. More of his strength.
“Good. Now imagine the virus breaking the mating bond of a male you didn’t want. You’ve carried that with you for too long, and it’s time to be free. Stop fighting it,” he ordered.
“Bossy Benny,” she mumbled.
His laugh lightened something inside her. “Now,” he said, his tone gentler this time.
“Yes, now,” Linda whispered on her other side, no longer trying to hurt her. “You have to do what they say. Let the virus win. Please. For our babies. Yours and mine—our girls, Karma. Our sweet, kind, innocent twin girls.”
Karma dug deep, imagining those bonds with Kraig unraveling as easily as a well-worn skirt. She watched the ribbons untie inside her, separating for all time. When the last wisp of the bonds trailed off into nothingness, she sighed.
“There you go,” Benjamin said. Something firm and soft and delicious tickled her ear.
Had he kissed her?
She forced her eyes open and jerked her head as a soft light tried to pierce her brain. Crying out, she shut them again.
“Slower,” Benjamin said.
She slowly started to open her eyes, but a massive vampire soldier hovered near her.
He leaned toward her. “I’m Franco. Tell Jayleen that it’s okay. I want her to be happy.” Then he dissipated.
She opened her eyes, focusing on Benjamin’s face, which was very close to hers. His eyes were a fierce green rimmed by black that cut through the green with jagged edges. “Wow,” she breathed. Never in her life had she imagined eyes like that.
He leaned back slightly. “You with me?”
“I don’t know,” she said, trying to move her arms beneath the heavy blanket.
The queen peered over Benny’s shoulder, her eyes tired and her hair all over. Fine lines of exhaustion spread out from her pink mouth. “You were right, Hope. She had to decide to break the bonds.”
A very pretty teenager slid up next to Emma. She had curly brown hair and stunning eyes so blue they looked violet. She and the queen were about the same height. “I had a dream. Some woman named Linda told me what to tell you. Do you think it was fate?”
Emma tapped her lips. “Who knows. I guess the other people who took the virus negated the bonds on their own, since they all wanted the bonds gone. Interesting, right?”
Benjamin rolled his eyes, and they returned to their customary metallic conflagration of colors. “Emma? Back up, would you? I don’t want to talk science right now.” His gaze softened. “Karma? Baby? Are you back or what?”
Karma drew her hand up to press against her eye. Her arm was bare. She frowned and took stock. “I am naked beneath these blankets.”
“Yes.” Emma leaned farther over Benjamin. “We had to put you in an ice bath. Several, actually.”
Several ice baths? Karma wiggled her toes. “How long was I…out?”
“Three days,” Benjamin said grimly, sitting back on his chair.
Three days? Karma gasped and then looked around. She lay in a hospital bed in a modern infirmary with soft green walls and counters with medical equipment. A machine beeped just beyond her head, and an IV trickled liquid into her arm. “Oh.” Then she coughed. “Tell Jayleen that Franco says it’s okay.”
Emma’s eyebrows rose. “Huh?” She cut a look at Hope.
Karma tried to concentrate. “Sometimes spirits talk to me. Did that make sense?”
Emma slowly nodded. “Yeah. Jayleen’s mate, Franco, died a century ago, and she’s been thinking about taking the virus but has been struggling.”
That made sense. Karma’s heartbeat felt slow still. “Well, Franco came to me and said to tell Jayleen that it’s okay. She has his blessing.”
“That’s nice, but let’s concentrate on the living right now.” Benjamin felt her forehead quickly. “The fever is gone.” Then he put his hand back on her head. “Let’s see what else is gone.”
Emma slapped his shoulder. “Give
it a day, for goodness’ sake. We don’t know that it’s all out of her system.”
“I felt it unravel,” Benjamin said, his eyes intense. “Can’t explain it, but I felt it. There’s no mating bond left.”
Karma held perfectly still. No pain emanated from his touch. No rash. Relief filled her a few seconds before dread and fear slammed hard. Tears filled her eyes.
Alarm flashed in Benjamin’s gaze, and he removed his hand. “What’s wrong? Did that hurt? Is the allergy back?”
“No.” A couple of tears slid down Karma’s face.
He looked at Emma over his shoulder, but she seemed confused as well.
Emma’s brow furrowed. “Are you sad the mating bond is gone? I’d thought you didn’t really know or like your ex-mate. I didn’t expect that you’d be sad.”
“I did not truly know or like him,” Karma affirmed, feeling small and vulnerable. And naked.
Benjamin patted her shoulder and studied her eyes, obviously trying to dig deep. His expression cleared. “Oh. I get it.”
Karma tried to breathe again. Having him close was disrupting her system. “Excuse me?”
Wisdom darkened his eyes. “Even though you didn’t want to be mated, that bond was still a protection for you. A shield of sorts—no other male could mess with you. Touch you. There’s safety in that.”
Her mouth gaped open. She hadn’t even figured out the source of her tears yet. “Are you psychic?”
“No.” His lips firmed. “I don’t tell many folks because it’s kind of wimpy, but I’m a mite empathic. I feel everything. Usually I shield well, but I think I’ve got you.”
Now the fear took a different form. Hopefully, he could not read her that well. God knew what he’d do if he discovered she was working for the Kurjans, that they could see and hear him right now.
Benjamin smiled. “You’re a free female. Congrats.”
Oh, she was nowhere near free. “Thank you,” she whispered, the lie cutting her deep.
* * * *
Hope Kayrs-Kyllwood left the infirmary after passing on the weird news from the lady in her dream and walked through the lodge to the playroom, dodging outside to a small alcove containing chairs and a fireplace. She flicked the switch to ignite the fire, letting the heat take the chill out of the rainy afternoon. The lake spread out before her, a dark gray beneath autumn clouds.
She sat and kicked her legs out, putting her feet near the fire. Then she looked at the clock on her phone for the zillionth time that day.
Where was he? He should be back by now.
A couple of guards strolled by, and both smiled at her before continuing along the cement path beside the lake. She reached for a blanket from the cupboard next to her and settled it over her lap. Then she snuggled into the furry plushness of it and waited for her best friend.
She didn’t hear him arrive. One second the path was clear, and the next Paxton stood there. Giving a happy cry, she launched herself out of the chair and into his arms. “Pax!”
He chuckled and easily caught her, feeling even bigger than he had last time they’d hugged. “You didn’t get any taller these last six months.”
She smacked his chest and stepped away, taking inventory of him. “You did. Again.” He’d been tall for years, and now, at six and a half feet, he was probably as tall as her dad. But her dad was all muscle, and Pax was still gangly, although his chest had filled out with some muscle. His green eyes sizzled, and his black hair had grown to his shoulders. She grinned. “You need a haircut.”
He laughed and took her hand, leading them back into the alcove. “It’s chilly. Let’s sit by the fire.”
She rolled her eyes but followed suit, retaking her seat and settling the blanket over her lap. “Not you, too.”
He sat to the side of the fire. “You had a bad cold, Hope.”
She should never have Zoom called with him while she’d been sick last week. “It was probably allergies.”
He shrugged. “Even if it was allergies, you shouldn’t have gotten sick. Vampires and demons and whatever else you are don’t get sick. It’s worrisome.”
Had her goofy best friend just used the word ‘worrisome’? “Dude. Did you get a new vocabulary or what?”
Pax grinned, flashing twin dimples. At sixteen, he was even cuter than he’d been as a chubby toddler. “Sorry. For the last month, it was only Uncle Santino and me in the wilderness watching the ecosystem of lizards. I’ve started to talk like him. It won’t last long.”
Who cared? It was amazing to see Pax happy and safe with his uncle, although his Uncle Santino was more of an absent-minded professor than a soldier. Pax’s mom had died years ago, and his dad had been a jerk who’d hit him. “I’m glad you two had fun, although six months is a long time.” She’d missed Pax so much, especially since their friend Libby had moved away three years ago.
“I know. I missed you.” There was a new intensity to Pax’s eyes, and it did funny things to her stomach.
This was her best friend. He’d always been good-looking but a little chubby, and now he was filling out with muscle, so it made sense that he’d be attractive. But they were just friends. She fiddled with the silver butterfly ring that he’d given her for her birthday years ago. She’d finally grown into it.
He caught the movement and took her right hand. “You’re still wearing it.”
“Of course,” she whispered, her throat suddenly dry. “You’re my best friend. Well, you and Libby.”
He kept her hand and looked up, his gaze searching. “What about Drake?”
Hope had never lied to Pax, and she wasn’t going to start now. “I don’t know. I feel like we’re good friends, and I’d love to see him again in a dream.” It had been three years since she’d seen Drake, and she didn’t know why it had been so long since she’d been able to create a dream world where they could meet when they were both asleep.
Pax released her hand and leaned back, watching her. “He’s a Kurjan. You can’t be friends.” Even so, his expression was thoughtful.
“Sure, we can.” Her voice rose. Why couldn’t she get into the dream world to see Drake? Then she paused. “You know, last time I talked to him…”
“No,” Pax said. “Definitely not.”
She perked up. “It has to be you, Pax. You were in my bedroom last time I dreamed and met Drake in a dream world. Even before the dream worlds went away, you were usually around. You’re the connection.”
“No.” Pax sounded as tough as any demon soldier now that his voice had deepened.
“Pax.” She reached for his hand again. Her parents had met in dream worlds, so it made sense she could also meet friends in such worlds. The only problem was that the worlds had been destroyed during one of the Seven’s rituals, or something like that. “You have to stay over tonight. You haven’t since that one night when I saw Drake, the last time, and we have to see if your being here makes a difference.”
“You want me to stay the night?” He sounded hoarse now.
Heat ticked from her chest up into her face. “Yes. Come on. We used to stay the night together all the time before you moved in with your uncle.”
His jaw hardened, and for a moment, he looked like his vampire father. “Things have changed, Hope. If I’m staying in your room, I ain’t sleeping on the floor.”
Her mouth gaped open. Paxton did not just say that. Not her Paxton. “You want the bed?” Why couldn’t she breathe?
“You know exactly what I mean,” he said, meeting her gaze levelly.
She couldn’t speak. Where had this over-the-top immortal bullshit come from? Pax had always been beyond that. “So you’re saying you want to fuck me, Pax?”
He drew back.
Oh, two could play at this game. She leaned forward. “That’s what you’re saying, right? I mean, if that’s what you want, shouldn’t you have the ba
lls to just say it?” He wasn’t the only one who’d grown up a little bit in the last six months, even though he was still the only boy she’d ever kissed—and that was three years ago. Triumph filled her when he looked away.
Until he looked back. “Yes. I want to fuck you.”
Now she drew back. “Paxton Phoenix!”
“You started it,” he returned.
She sat straighter in the chair. “I did not. You did.”
He sighed, looking more like her Paxton again. “It’d be more than fucking between us, and you know it.” Then he leaned over and turned the fire higher. “Have you been dating anybody now that you’ve turned sixteen?”
“No.” She’d been busy. “You?”
“Not really.” Then he cleared his throat. “I’m always thinking about you.”
Chapter Ten
Karma felt quite decadent in the butter-soft boots the queen had provided for her. Even though they were of a modern style, they looked perfect with the long pink and blue floral skirt she wore today. She stood at the glass door leading to the patio of Benjamin’s suite, happy to be standing again.
It was her first day out of bed, and already, she was tired.
Rain pattered gently outside as if tuned to her mood, and the lake shimmered a light gray color that was more dreamy than chilly looking.
Her body felt no different with the mating bond destroyed, although the bite mark on her neck had disappeared. Oh, she was still tired, and her limbs were heavy, but the queen had assured her those weaknesses resulted from the high fever she’d endured and would soon dissipate. The queen was definitely one of those romance heroines Karma had read about. They really existed.
A knock sounded on the door, and she partially turned to call out, “Come in.” It was an oddity, having the power to allow people into her space, one she had not yet become accustomed to.
There was no reason to get comfortable.
The door opened, and a tall woman, a very tall one, walked inside. She had sandy-blond hair, generous curves, and deep chocolate-colored eyes that looked…worried. “Hello?”
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