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“Hey, sis, how are you?” he called, striding over to the grand double doors to meet them. He laid a gentle hand over the dark tufts of the small head lying on Carin’s shoulder. “So this is little Russian Bixler, eh? He’s certainly a hefty kid. And cute, too.”

“Damned straight. Say hello to your uncle Alaan, Russian,” Carin cooed against her son’s hair. Gifting Alaan with a sisterly smirk, she said, “We’re going in for lunch. Want to join us? You can challenge your nephew here for your meal.”

Tousling the little head full of curls, Alaan leaned down and planted a kiss on the baby’s brow. “In a minute. I need to talk to Tameth for a sec.”

“No problem,” Carin told him, hitching Russian higher up on her shoulder. She covered his head with a baby-sized blanket to protect him against the slight chill and headed inside. “Come see me before you head back to London,” she called over her shoulder. “I’ll be in my lab.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Alaan drawled with a mock salute.

God, the man’s deep voice made Tameth’s toes curl up in her boots. Her attention riveted on his profile as he watched Carin and the children disappear into the house. What an amazing contrast of parts. Hair so fair, a face so handsome and a body so muscularly perfect he could easily pass as one of heaven’s protectors. But when he got that prime male gleam in his crystal blue eyes accompanied by a little show of fang, he looked more like one of the Devil’s henchmen. Rumor had it any woman would take him in whatever way he chose to present himself. She happened to know those rumors were true.

Her gaze slid down the wide expanse of his chest to the outline of solid pecs visible through his unzipped black-on-black Seeker trench coat. But Tameth didn’t care how sinfully attractive Alaan was, nor how loyal he was to the Council and vampire clans. There was no way she’d settle for any man who wasn’t willing to conquer hell and high water for her, bondmate or not.

Hmm. The garden seemed strangely silent. Instantly in Seeker mode, Tameth discreetly scanned the area with her eyes. None of the vamps she’d spotted earlier through Carin’s window were on security detail anymore. Her senses picked up the subtle scent and faint sound of vamps in the immediate vicinity, none vicious, but none visible. And so quiet, it appeared to be just the two of them accompanied by a light spring breeze, endless blooming flowers, brilliant green grass, hedges and trees.

Being alone with Alaan Serati probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do right now. Not while the “want him, he doesn’t want me…does he?” perplexity controlled her typically rational mind. Not to mention her body didn’t give a rat’s rear end where her head was spending its time. All five-foot-eleven and a half inches wanted to lay under him and squirm until she passed out. This was so not good.

Thoughts of Sher popped into her head. Well, that snapped her out of her musing. Tameth broke the silence with an irritated clearing of her throat.

“So, you wanted to see me?” Tameth asked, her voice deliberately void of care. Not cold, just…unimpressed. Her conversation with Carin swirled around in the back of her mind. Perhaps she was just being silly. The man she’d always wanted made it crystal clear he had feelings for her. But still…she couldn’t help but wonder if she’d have all of his heart or just part of it. And part of it wasn’t an option.

“Yes, baby, I wanted to see you,” he said slowly, carefully. His strong fingers extended. He stood as if he had no doubt she would take them.

Tameth’s heart camped out just above her esophagus as she took his hand, certain of what she wanted, yet so uncertain. The second his strong grip encompassed her own, she gave up trying to guess what he felt. Instead she stopped thinking altogether and let her mind open to him. Immediately the bottom of her stomach hit the gravel path they stood on as his emotions flooded her head and overflowed her senses. The tidal wave of feeling grew ever higher, then crashed down over her in an overwhelming wave of longing. Oh yes, his need was there, but it wasn’t hot or urgent, but deeper, more profound.

Neither spoke as Tameth allowed herself to be led across the expansive gardens, through a wall of tall evergreen hedges that surrounded a thick grove of aspen trees. Suddenly her fingers were cold. She looked down. Alaan had let go and now stood staring down at her heatedly. Amazing. Even at her unusual height, half-an-inch shy of six feet, she felt short looking up at him.

A single digit tilted her head up and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep the gasp from escaping her throat. His expression was raw, dangerous. Delicious. God, the glint in those jewel blue eyes sent a tremor through her whole being—spirit, soul and body. One booted foot stepped towards her. Instinctively, she took an answering step back. Her chin dropped, unable to handle such acute heat and determination. He took another step. Oh, God. The man stalked her like a lion on the hunt in the Serengeti.

Ouch!

The air whooshed from her lungs when the back of her knees slammed against something with such force they buckled out from underneath her. Landing hard, her butt made contact with cold, solid stone. She looked down and could have kicked herself. Just great. So distracted by Alaan’s intent, she’d backed herself into a stone bench resting at the base of a huge budding tree underneath a dense canopy of leaves.

And Alaan moved in fast. Bounding to her feet, Tameth had every intention of halting his progress. But instead of pushing him away, her damned mutinous fingers curled into the leather of his long trench coat and held fast.

The baritone of his voice swirled around her as he said, “I will have you, Tameth.”

Oh really? Well didn’t he have a thing or two to learn? It was her last coherent thought just before he kissed the smart-aleck right out of the remark she’d fixed her mouth to say.

With no memory of rising up on her toes, Tameth stood practically on the tips of her boots doing a terrible imitation of a swivel-hipped Elvis with her arms wrapped around Alaan’s thick neck. His answering embrace engulfed and surrounded her until every breath was Alaan and leather. Mmm, the lips moved hungrily over hers, extending the kiss until her lungs burned for an intake of air. But who needed to breathe when she could live off of the essence of Alaan?

And what about her resolve to blow him off?

Resolve was overrated.