Karma turned from the view outside and strode toward the fireplace, double-checking that the woman was alive and not a spirit here to visit her. “Hello. Are you looking for Benjamin?”
The woman studied Karma, her stance somewhat hesitant. She wore dark jeans and a light yellow sweater. “No. I’m looking for you, I think. I’m Sarah. Sarah Pringle Petrovsky.”
Karma paused. “I am Karma. If I ever had a last name, I do not remember it.” She ran through the other woman’s names. “You are mated to Max Petrovsky?” The hulking soldier was frightening, that was for sure. Was that why this female appeared scared?
“Yes.” Sarah hesitated.
Karma gestured her toward the chair on the other side of the coffee table. “I apologize for my manners. I haven’t entertained in many years.” She took the opposite chair. What in the world did this vampire mate want with her? “Is there something I can do for you?” Was this female going to ask about Virus-27? Did she want to be infected so she could run from her mate? Karma was the last person in the world who could help right now.
Sarah sat in the chair and perched at the edge, her legs so long, her knees poked up. “Benny suggested we meet, and I’d already planned to find you, anyway.”
Karma settled her hands in her lap. “Shall I request tea or lunch? Are you hungry?”
“No.” Sarah pushed back in the chair. “Thank you, though.” She chewed on her lip. “I meant to see you earlier, but I was visiting friends and just got back last night. This morning I had classes—I’m one of the teachers for the Realm kids.”
“Oh.” Karma warmed to her. “You teach cooking?”
Sarah frowned. “No. Lately I teach physics and tactical warfare, and I’d like to start teaching philosophy soon.”
Karma exhaled. A female taught such subjects? The Realm was a much more interesting place than she had thought. “I see.” Yet she did not. “I am not familiar enough with those subjects to discuss them.”
Sarah fiddled with her earring. “I know. Sorry. I’m just nervous.”
Karma tried to make sense of the situation as the rain increased outside. “I do not, I mean don’t, understand.”
Sarah sighed. “You saved Rose, and I wanted to thank you. But then I got nervous. Was she your child? I mean, I know that her parents were human and she was found in an orphanage, but did you adopt her and then give her up three years ago to keep her safe?”
Karma tried to keep up with the tumble of words. Her breath caught, and she leaned forward. “Is Rose well? Have you seen her?”
“Yes.” Sarah straightened her shoulders. “We, Max and I, adopted her when she was brought here. We’ve been trying to have kids for a while, but immortals can take centuries to procreate, right?” She chuckled. “Except the Kayrs family. There must be something in their gene pool.”
Karma’s chin dropped. “You and that Max adopted Rose?” Oh, Sarah seemed nice enough, but Max was a killer. She knew one when she saw one.
“Yes.”
Karma bit the inside of her lip. “I did not adopt Rose. I only knew her for a short time before Benjamin rescued her.”
Relief flashed across Sarah’s freckled face. “Oh. Okay. Well then, thank you.”
A scream sounded down the hallway outside, and then giggles erupted. The door opened, and Max strode inside with Hope Kayrs-Kyllwood over one shoulder and a pretty blond toddler over the other. They both were thrashing and giggling, with a squeal or two thrown in. Max dropped to his knees and tossed them both safely on the sofa.
Karma’s mouth dropped open. The deadly soldier’s face was gentle, and with amusement dancing across his blunt features, he appeared charming.
The little girl launched herself at him. “Get Daddy! Hope, get Daddy now!” Her little fingers dug into the warrior’s neck.
“That tickles,” Max complained, leaning forward and pressing a kiss on her upturned nose. “Calm down for a second, Rosy. You have a nice chat with your mama, and then I’ll take you sailing later this afternoon if the rain stops. But you have to wear your pink coat.”
The little girl sat back and crossed her arms, her small face scrunching up. “No coat.”
The soldier smiled and tugged on her ear. “Little girls who don’t wear coats end up getting colds, and then they can’t eat ice cream.”
Rosy, her chubby cheeks a lovely red, frowned. She seemed to think about it. “Okay. Coat.”
“That’s my girl.” The tenderness in Max’s tone couldn’t be misinterpreted.
Rosy tilted her head, mischievousness in her smile. “Can Burt come?”
Max sighed. “Last time we took him, he jumped in and I had to swim after him.” He looked over his shoulder at his mate. “Never met a dog that couldn’t swim on its own to the shore.”
Rose giggled. “My doggie is funny.”
Karma straightened. When Rosy had been with her, she’d talked about a doggie all the time. “You got your doggie?”
Rose’s eyes sparkled. “Yep. I knews I was gonna have him. Had dreams about him, and we gots him.”
Max sighed. “She named him Burt the Babykins. We’ve shortened the name to Burt—usually.” He smacked Hope on the knee and stood, turning to face Karma. “Are you feeling better?”
Numb, she could only nod.
“Good.” He turned and brushed his hand along Sarah’s arm before pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Sarah, you should come sailing with us after class. The weather is going to turn soon, and we’ll have to get out the ice skates.”
Delight brightened Sarah’s already pretty face. “That sounds like a plan. Maybe we should get Garrett out on the water. I’m worried about him, Max.”
Max ran his knuckle along his mate’s cheekbone. “So am I, Malaya. I’ll see what I can find out.” With a tug to her ear, he prowled to the door and left the room. In his wake, the energy in the room calmed, and three sets of eyes turned to study Karma.
Hope smiled. “It’s nice you’re feeling better.”
Karma couldn’t look away from the toddler. She was absolutely adorable. Her thick hair was in two ponytails, and she was dressed in jeans and a soft-looking green sweater that had bunnies on it.
Rose looked shyly at Karma. “Hi!” she shrieked.
Sarah laughed. “Inside voice, baby.”
“I know!” Rose screamed, launching herself at her mother. “Inside voice!”
Sarah caught her easily and settled the girl on her lap. She laughed. “Sorry about that, Karma. We’re going through an interesting phase.”
“A loud phase,” Hope interjected, curling one leg beneath the other on the sofa. “Although it’s better than the phase where she would only eat blue foods. Turning bananas blue was just gross.”
“Gross!” Rose agreed loudly.
Hope laughed, turning toward Karma. “Anyway, Rose wanted to meet you, and we wanted to thank you for saving her and bringing her to all of us. I babysit her when Sarah has class and I don’t, and it’s like having a little sister. A loud little sister sometimes.” Her blue eyes sparkled.
“Sisters!” Rose yelled.
Sarah cuddled her close and snuggled her nose into the girl’s hair. “I’d like for this phase to be done, but I’m worried about the next one.” She lifted her head, delight in her eyes. “Okay. Not worried. But definitely curious.”
Karma’s arms ached for her girls. Were the twins safe right now? Were they asking for her?
Hope laughed. “I hope the next phase is her picking up her toys. That’d be a fun one.”
“Toys!” Rose agreed. Then she looked at Karma. “Karma!”
Delight filled Karma. Maybe the little girl somehow remembered her. How wonderful would it be to introduce her girls to Rose. They would all be great friends. But that was not to be. Even now, the Kurjans were watching Rose through Karma’s eye. Would they try to
retake her someday? They’d have to go through the Realm, Sarah, and Max. All of a sudden, Karma was thankful Max seemed so dangerous. “I’m glad you’ve found a good home, Rosy,” Karma whispered.
Rose smiled and bounced on her mom’s legs. “We’re going sailing. Wanna come?” Her voice lowered to a normal decibel. Then she frowned. “But you hafta wear a coat. Daddy’s rules.” The sweet little girl rolled her eyes and shook her head as if life was just too much right now.
Humor bubbled up through Karma, and she laughed. Finally, her mind could be at rest about the toddler. She was safe, and she was obviously loved. “While sailing sounds fun, I believe we’re flying out in a couple of hours.” Benjamin had said they needed to leave the Realm before he punched the king, and she believed him.
Rose’s lips pouted. “But you haven’t met Pax yet. He’s my bestest friend.”
“Hey,” Hope protested, grinning.
Rose smiled, her eyes glimmering with mischief. “You like my sister. Pax my boyfriend.”
Sarah cuddled her even closer. “You are way too young for a boyfriend, girlie. Pax can be your friend, but he’s too old for you, anyway.”
Rose settled into her mother’s arms. “Paxton is pretty.”
Hope snorted. “Don’t tell him that. He thinks he’s all tough these days.”
“Who is Paxton?” Karma asked, remembering the implant in her ear too late.
“He’s a demon-vampire hybrid,” Hope said, shifting on the sofa. “He’s our friend, and for some reason, Rose thinks he’s the greatest thing on two feet. If you ask me, he’s gotten a little, well, male this year.” She rolled her eyes much better than the little girl had. “Boys are a pain, right?”
“Right,” Karma agreed, thinking about Benjamin. He’d been treating her like glass while obviously trying to build her confidence at the same time. If he told her one more time that she was strong and capable, she might just smack him and prove it. If he thought she was that wonderful, he wouldn’t be trying to make her independent before he left her somewhere with a pile of money.
Sarah leaned forward. “Karma? You just seriously went somewhere in your head. You okay?”
Karma sighed. “I was thinking about males being males. They’re too much.”
Sarah smiled. “I think they only get worse with age. It’s too bad you’re not staying another night. We have a girls’ poker game tonight, and we often spend a little time complaining about our mates. Emma is on a tear these days because she’s close to another medical breakthrough, which makes her obsessed, and she forgets to eat or sleep. Then the king gets all bossy, and I swear, his solution is to toss her in the pool.”
Hope shrugged. “It works for them. Plus, Em likes to swim.”
Karma enjoyed listening to these tales. She’d had no idea life could be unrestricted and free. “I like that you can voice your opinions with your mates.”
Hope’s eyebrows lifted. “Why wouldn’t we be able to?”
The fact that she could even ask the question gave Karma hope. Real hope. Perhaps the world could change for everybody—even the Kurjans.
Chapter Eleven
Benny set the helicopter down right outside Seven territory while watching the silent woman in the passenger seat. They’d stayed at Realm Headquarters until he thought Karma was well enough to travel. Then he couldn’t wait to get the heck out of there. Dage didn’t like having the Seven in his territory, and that was fine with Benny.
Right now, Garrett snored in the backseat after being up all night partying. The family had been pissed at his departure, but he hadn’t given them a choice. Something really was going on with the youngest Kayrs, but Benny hadn’t figured out what yet. Right now, Karma came first.
He let the engines on the bird die down. Almost immediately, a cover emerged from the mountainous rock to enclose them, safely hiding the helicopter from the sky.
She watched the other side fasten to the ground. “That’s incredible.” Even her voice showed awe.
He grinned. “Yeah. We’ve been here for a few years, so we’ve been able to build what we wanted. For a while, our headquarters kept getting blown up. So far, we’ve been lucky here.”
She looked down at her clasped hands.
He reached over and placed his fingers over hers, trying to give comfort. “You’re safe here, sweetheart. There’s no need to worry about the Kurjans or the Cysts or the virus any longer.” He squeezed and then released her. “If you don’t want to stay here, I’ll take you somewhere else. Once I’m sure you’re good on your own, I’ll let you be.” There was no question the woman wanted her freedom. He didn’t blame her, although the more he was around her, the more he wanted to stick with her.
But she deserved more than a life saddled with someone like him. Now he just had to convince her of that fact. “I thought it was really impressive how you fought off the virus and then let it take care of the bonds. You have a lot more strength than you know.”
The look she gave him was both adorable and disbelieving. “Right. I almost died.”
“You did not.” He rolled his eyes. “Why don’t you think you’re strong?” Part of his plan was getting her to see her own power.
She wrung her hands together.
“Is it possible you don’t see the real you because you’ve been living with assholes the last two centuries?” He asked the question as gently as he could.
“Anything is possible, Benjamin,” she said quietly, sounding as if she might be starting to believe it. “Although I can’t even dress like a modern woman without feeling uncomfortable. It’s not as if I can fight in a long skirt, you know?”
Garrett jumped out of the back of the craft. “I’m going to run to my cabin. You two have a nice day.” He easily strode through the open archway and disappeared into the trees.
Benny stared at the trees for a minute. He needed to get Garrett alone to see what had crawled up his ass—and soon. For now, Benny opened his door and circled the craft to open hers, lifting her down with his hands on her waist. Instant desire slammed through him, heating his body as if he’d jumped into a hot spring. “This way.” He released her and opened the door to the outside, where a golf cart was hidden beneath the boughs of a pine tree.
She followed and sat gracefully in the passenger side. “This is your headquarters?” For some reason, she now sounded hesitant, as if she didn’t want to be there.
“Yes.” He sat and turned the key before pressing on the gas pedal. “We took our cue from the Realm, years ago, and built a nice little subdivision here in the Utah mountains for the Seven. We have a central lodge and our own homes, which has been nice since a few of us have gotten mates. Which we were not supposed to do.”
She looked toward him, steadying herself with a hand on the metal dash. “You weren’t supposed to mate?”
“No.” He’d given her as much time as he could before starting to question her about the Kurjans and the Cysts, and he hated for this time to end. “The final ritual will kill many of us. So taking a mate doesn’t make sense.” That fact hadn’t stopped several of his brethren from taking the plunge, anyway. “Ronan, Quade, Ivar, Adare, and Logan have all mated.” At this time, he was in the minority. “Only Garrett and I haven’t mated, and Garrett seems to have another destiny in store for him. So the sacrifice comes down to me.”
“Sacrifice?” she whispered.
It was only fair to give her the full truth. “Yeah. I’m the only unmated one who can give up his life without regret. I’m telling you this because of the mating mark, just in case you had expectations. I’d be honored if you did, but I don’t have much of a future ahead of me.”
She shook her head. “Why you?”
That was quite the question. “Exactly. I don’t know. I mean, we all planned to sacrifice our lives during the final ritual, because that was the deal. Each one of these guys fought the idea
of matehood, and each one fell on his face and took the chance anyway. I won’t do that to you. You’ve already lost one mate, and who knows if you’d survive taking the virus again. I’m not worth that.”
“You’re not worth that? Are you insane?” she asked.
“Some would say,” he agreed, glancing at the face of his phone. “Oh. Mercy has dinner waiting in the main lodge for us. It will probably be a more comfortable place for us to grill you, just so you know. I’ve held off as long as possible.”
Karma jolted. “Grill me?”
He coughed out a laugh. “Not like a steak, sweetheart. But you have lived with our enemy for centuries, and we have a lot of questions for you. I wanted to wait until you were more comfortable and everything, but we probably do need to get on it.” He turned and winked at her. “Don’t worry. You can handle anything we throw at you.”
“You’re going to throw things at me?” Her brow wrinkled.
He let the laugh loose this time. The woman truly had been sheltered. “You’re a fun one, Karma. You really are.”
* * * *
Karma was accustomed to hiding her feelings and masking exhaustion after working long hours for the Kurjan nation, so she naturally slid into the familiar role as Benjamin led her into what he called the main lodge of the Seven. It was much smaller than the one at the Realm but built with wide logs that had been finely cut. The main room appeared to contain a few sofas and not much else. In the dining area, she sat at a round table that would comfortably seat twenty people.
Had the Kurjans caught Benjamin’s mention of the mating mark on his hand? She couldn’t worry about that and instead studied the area.
The table was of hand-carved cedar, and the chairs matched with the addition of bright red cushions. Oil paintings decorated the walls, but she couldn’t get close enough to see signatures. Glass French doors comprised the final wall and appeared to lead out to the forest and a mountain range. She’d have to look at the area in the daylight.
Benny held out her chair, and she sat, feeling more comfortable when he sat next to her. “All right. Here we go. We’re missing three members of the Seven as well as their mates, so it’ll be a smaller group than usual tonight.” He gestured toward a green-eyed demon who looked familiar. “That’s Logan Kyllwood and his mate, Mercy O’Malley.”
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