He’d suspected the worst before, but had refused to ponder or worry. Now he knew, and there was no stopping the worry. She belonged to him. She was his. His woman, his mate. Unless he did something about it, he would never again be able to successfully drink from any one but her.

That was the way of the vampires. When they encountered their mate, the person whose body chemistry best fit their own, they craved that mate and only that mate. No one else could sustain them.

They could have sex with other people, yes. Not that he wanted anyone but Ava. But food? No. It was Ava’s blood for him, and only Ava’s.

That wasn’t a problem for human Ava, of course. She could eat anything she wished. But for McKell? That was a serious fucking problem! His woman was refusing to feed him.

Unfair, and one of the reasons vampires prayed they never mated with a human. Those prayers were usually answered. To his knowledge only one vampire had ever been paired with a human. Still. He’d deal with the food issue later. The biggest problem right now was the sex thing. He and Ava were a couple, yet Ava was resisting him and could sleep with someone else.

And she just might. Clearly she didn’t care about McKell. She’d allowed him to drink another woman’s blood, without protest. She’d actually aided him. Why hadn’t she raged? Attacked? Tried to kill the woman for daring to accept her man?

Damn, damn, damn. Why him? Why a human? A lowly human? He deserved better, damn it!

He wasn’t the first vampire to despise his mate. Not that he hated Ava, but he didn’t want to live with the stubborn baggage forever. He just wanted to sip from her for a few years. And keep her naked and in his bed for a few decades.

God, he was so confused about that woman.

Thankfully, when he tired of her, he had two methods of bond-breaking to choose from. The first—a potion. He had only to drink it, and his body would forget it had ever smelled Ava, ever touched her or tasted her. But afterward, he would never again be allowed to see her. Never again be allowed near her. The moment he encountered her, his body would remember, rendering the potion useless, and he would be back where he started.

The second method—death. Not his. Hers. He could kill her, and his body would return to normal. Forever.

Yet neither method currently appealed to him. He needed her help. Yes, he could have found the other topside vampires on his own. Yes, he could have continued on with his life without her, no problem. But if she was with him, helping him, AIR would leave him alone. At least for a little while.

Even when they were sending agents into the forest to arrest you, you were entertained, not bothered. He ignored that line of thought. He wanted to be left alone. Of course. Who wouldn’t?

So. He would continue his association with Ava. As long as she never drank his blood, they would not be officially married, and he could more easily leave her—and find someone else, someone more appropriate—when the time came.

“Need some help, gorgeous?” a female asked him, returning his thoughts to the present.

He blinked up at her. She’d stopped in front of him, and held out a hand to hoist him up. She was in her mid-thirties, with dark hair, freckles, glasses, and a cute button nose. Innocent, kind, and just begging to be ripped into pieces.

Humans needed to be more careful about who they attempted to aid. And since he was now living here, it was up to him to instruct them. He hissed at her, revealing the sharpness of his fangs. She yelped, paled, and scampered away.

“You’re welcome,” he called as he lumbered to his feet.

He stood there a moment, dizzy, stars winking over his vision, stomach twisting, lungs trying to inflate. So hungry … But, damn it, the complication hadn’t gone away.

He’d promised Ava he wouldn’t drink from her without permission. Why had he done such a stupid thing? he wondered again. Until he consumed the vampire potion, she would be the only person he could drink from. He wouldn’t tell her that, of course. She would realize the power she held over him. Knowing her, and he was beginning to think he did, she would exploit that power.

Therefore, he would have to seduce her and make her willing. McKell sighed, ignoring the anticipation working through him and concentrating on the dread. Dirty work, but a vampire had to do what a vampire had to do.

Ava held her new cell to her ear. Noelle had given her the small black phone to replace her old one. It was the “prezzie” she’d hidden between the naughty cop and curious kitty costumes, and a relief to find, rather than some kind of vibrator with fangs, which Ava wouldn’t have put past her friend. She vowed to be careful with this one. But as her friend spoke, her fingers clenched so tightly the plastic cracked.

“You want me to what?” Ava demanded, even as she loosened her grip.

At her outburst, the people walking in front of her glanced back. She frowned at them and motioned for them to turn around and continue along the sidewalk, before snaking a corner to escape their notice.

“You heard me. Bring McKell to the bar,” Noelle repeated.

And place him directly in the line of fire? “No. No way.” She twisted to the side to avoid colliding with a group of teens headed in the opposite direction.

She’d entered a newer neighborhood than her own, one of shops rather than apartments, and the streets were far more crowded. Plus, Friday night, everyone was looking for a good time.

“Why not?” Noelle asked.

“Uh, why not?” Bright lights pulsed on her right, a twinkling kaleidoscope of pinks, blues, and greens, blurring together as she raked her brain for an excuse. Lost in thought as she was, she tripped over her own feet. Enough. Scowling, she righted herself and stomped to the nearest building, then leaned against the cold stone. Her heart pounded against her ribs, like a jackhammer against concrete. “Just … because.”

There was a crackle of silence. Then, “You afraid the other agents will whack him?”

Yes! “No, of course not. One, he can take care of himself, and two, I don’t care if he lives or dies.” Even saying the words hurt. Die. McKell. He’d been sick, but still she’d tasered him. What kind of person was she? Worse, she’d left him to fend for himself in his weakened condition.

“Liar. You want to protect him. You lurve him.”

One of her ribs finally cracked. “I hurt him, Noelle.” Was he okay? He should have recovered by now. Should have tracked her down and screamed at her. Maybe demanded she kiss him all better. But there was no sign of him. Not left, not right, not straight ahead.

Noelle laughed. “Please. Whatever you did was foreplay.”

“Our definition of foreplay differs greatly.”

“Whatever you need to think to make yourself feel better about your love of the rough stuff. So lookit,” her friend added before she could reply. “The Schön queen was here, and we could really use McKell’s help.”

“What?” Another sighting? Now?

“What’s with your ears tonight? Are you really going to make me repeat everything?”

“Continue or die!”

Another laugh, wine-rich, like smoke wafting over the line. “Here’s the scoop. That diseased bitch talked to Dallas. Apparently, he was the only one who could see and hear her. Anyway, he’s now put the bar on lockdown, and he and the other agents are interrogating everyone here, finding out what they saw, heard, testing the place, that kind of thing.”

Ava gulped. Okay. That wasn’t so bad. “And we need McKell because…?”

“Duh. Because he can stop time.”

“So? The queen is long gone by now. What will stopping time help?” Not that it mattered. There was nothing Noelle could say to convince her to escort McKell into a roomful of angry agents. Someone would try to stun him, guaranteed. That would piss off McKell. A hungry, possibly sick McKell.

A bloodbath would ensue.

She couldn’t let that happen. She had a bargain to uphold, and she took her bargains very seriously. Even though she had often double-crossed people in the past, never actually fulfilling her end of their bargains. Sometimes you had to cheat to win, and she’d never minded cheating. Winning was important. Never more so than now, but for some reason, she couldn’t talk herself into double-crossing McKell.

Maybe because she felt guilty for all the harm she’d caused him. Maybe because she hoped to prove that humans weren’t inferior to vampires. In any way. She didn’t know. All she knew was that she wanted him safe.

Tasering him had been a small … complication on the road to his safety, but one she would (maybe) apologize for. After he apologized for his attitude.

Where the hell was he?

“Are you listening to me?” Noelle asked on a sigh.

Ava blinked back to focus, and realized she been silent for several minutes. “No. Sorry. But listen, McKell’s sick. He can’t keep anything down, and—”

“Wait. What? Sick how?”

“He just threw up his dinner.”

“You?”

“No. Someone else.”

“Interesting. Hang on for a sec, K?”

“Why? What are you—”

Static filled the line. One minute passed, two, allowing Ava’s imagination to take flight through poisoned clouds and an acid storm. What. The. Hell? Noelle wouldn’t tell the other agents about McKell’s condition. She wouldn’t. Unless she thought she needed to protect Ava. Then nothing would stop her.

Trembling now, Ava watched for McKell. Still no sign of him, and her heart began pounding for an entirely different reason. What if she’d injured him more than she’d meant? What if someone was even now picking his pockets or stabbing him, and he was unable to defend himself?

She kicked into gear, heading in the direction she’d left him, the phone still clutched to her ear.

“I know something you don’t know,” Noelle suddenly said in a happy, singsong voice. “And it’s about vampires.”

“Tell me!”

“I thought we’d have to force this issue, but looks like your overwhelming appeal took over.”

“What do you mean? Explain, or I swear to God I’ll burn your mansion down.” She snaked the corner and increased her speed.

“With my mother in it?” Noelle asked hopefully.

“No.”

“Oh. Too bad. Now I have the need to take this secret to my grave.”

“Just tell me!”

“I love when you beg.”

“Noelle.”

“Fine. I think I know why McKell wants to hang out with you so badly.”

Because she was smart, talented, and capable? “Why?”

“Because you’re his woman.”

Way better than her answer, she thought, steps faltering. “I don’t understand.”

“Remember when you told me he vomits after drinking blood?”

“Since I told you a few minutes ago, yeah, I think I recall a little bit of that conversation.”

“Such a pain,” Noelle tsked. “Anyway. Earlier, you also mentioned that he’d had a little of your blood and was able to keep it down. You know, when he sucked on your tongue.”

“Yeah. So.”

“So. Hold your applause until the end of my speech. Like I said, you’re his woman. He won’t be able to drink from anyone but you without … what? Vomiting.” An expectant pause. “You may clap now.”

Was it bad that she wanted to? “His woman? No way.” And yet, the words pleased her on an elemental, primal level. The thought of McKell only being able to sink those teeth into her … the thought of McKell needing her … the thought of McKell enjoying her and only her … yes, yes and yes. But …

The plastic phone cracked a little more. No, no, and no, she thought next, panic suddenly infusing her bloodstream. If that were the case, he would never leave her alone. He would be around all the damn time. He would expect her to obey him, the superior bastard.

Vampires are better than humans, she inwardly mocked. As if! She was just as good as any vampire. She was worthy, damn it.

Besides, she’d already decided not to become romantically entangled with McKell. Well, part of her had. If he were to drink from her every damn day, she wouldn’t be able to keep her hands from roaming over that delicious-looking body. And if she couldn’t keep her hands off his body, they would end up in bed.

She couldn’t let that happen. No matter how much she wanted it.

Thank God he was such an ass. Every time he opened his beautiful mouth, resisting him physically got a little easier. Right? She couldn’t remember. Just then, all she could recall was the intense desire she’d experienced when he’d kissed her and the powerful jealousy she’d experienced when he’d bitten that other woman.

“So why do you need McKell’s time-stopping skills at the bar?” she asked, returning to a less upsetting topic.

“If he can stop time, maybe he can reverse time. And if he can reverse time, we can pounce while the queen is here, distracted and talking to Dallas.”

“But if he reverses time, won’t that affect you? I mean, you still wouldn’t know the queen was there.” And how would it affect Ava? Would a time reversal wipe away the memory of McKell’s kiss?

“Well, stopping time doesn’t affect McKell. Maybe reversing it won’t affect him, either.”

“Nice deflection, but you didn’t answer my question. What if the reversal affects you?”

“I don’t know,” Noelle replied on a sigh. “Maybe it won’t. Maybe he can reverse time for select individuals, allowing those of his choosing to remain unaffected like him.”

“That’s a lot of maybes.”