Cyrus and Lex swiveled to gape at Jake.
He shrugged at them.
“You were outsidemy house?” I dropped my voice to a dangerous level. “In the middle of the night?”
Jake nodded.
“Why were you outside my house?”
“Now, sugah, you gotta understand how hard it is for us to stay away from you,” Cyrus said.
“It's like hot coals in our veins,” Lex added. “We had to come. We were just going to watch over you. Stay on the sidewalk. Incognito.”
“Yeah,” Cyrus said. “Staying away would have—”
“We can't,” Jake interrupted, staring at me like a stalker. It was a look I was becoming familiar with.
And no, I wasn't about to tell the Jays and Bob about my stalker. That would justify their neighborhood watch and keep them coming back. Plus, I was hoping the stalker wouldn't return.
“That's so sad,” I said. “You know what would be even sadder? If I changed my mind about mating you. Then you wouldn't have a mate.”
Jake growled.
Lex held a hand out toward Jake, making an ease-down motion.
“Do you understand what that would mean for us, cher?” Cyrus asked. “It would be a death sentence.”
I went still. “What?”
“We need you. Without someone to give meaning to eternity, we will slowly fade away. That's why Hades cast the mate spell.”
“Oh. Yeah, I think I heard about that,” I mumbled. I cleared my throat and rallied. “But the magic would find you a new mate.”
“Maybe,” Lex said. “We've been waiting awhile. We might not make it long enough to meet option two.”
“Right. So it's me or death.” I grimaced. “How romantic. You're really changing my mind.”
Jake made an annoyed sound.
“That's not how it is and you know it.” Lex waved Jake down again. “We will treasure you, Salina. We already do. It's why we had to come in when we heard you scream.”
“What about love?” I crossed my arms.
“That will come.”
“Inevitable,” Jake said.
I glared at Jake. “Haven't you ever heard that women like conversation?”
Jake grunted and waved at the other two.
“He means that we will—” Lex started.
“Yeah, I got it,” I cut him off with another eye roll. “Whatever. Get out. I need to get back to sleep. This body may be brand new and immortal, but it still needs rest.”
That was evidently the magic words.
“Are you all right now?” Cyrus asked as he motioned the other two toward the balcony.
