“Don’t speak,” Theo snarled, tightening his hold in her hair. “Not a fucking word.”
Chalton sighed over the line. “I’ll have her in about an hour. The surrounding buildings have devices I invented with heat, video, and even sound. The devices are compiling a recording right now of the person who broke into the bank, and she’ll be recognizable by morning.”
Her stomach dropped, even while her mind finally engaged. “I would love to see that technology. Fascinating. The surrounding buildings—what a remarkable idea.”
Theo growled. A true, furious, masculine vampiric growl.
She shivered. Her nipples went hard as rocks. Even her knees weakened.
“How long can you hold off on telling the king?” Theo ground out, his breath warm on her face.
“As long as you need,” Chalton said. “Want me to blow the evidence?”
Theo closed his eyes and quickly reopened them. “No. The king is almost a brother to you. I appreciate the offer, but do your job. Just do it slowly.”
“Copy that. And good luck.” Chalton clicked off.
She twisted her lip. “So. I may have broken into a Realm bank tonight.” Would the king call for her head? She’d heard he was a reasonable guy, but he was still a vampire. “Is there a Realm prison somewhere?” She’d escaped a human prison back in the seventies, and it’d be nice to test those skills again.
“You’re not going to prison,” Theo said. “We’ll figure something out. What did you find?”
She took out the envelope and ripped it open, dropping a flash drive in her hand. “To think we can now take each other down with these.”
Theo grasped it and plugged it into a tablet on the counter, the tension still pouring from him. “It’s encrypted. I’ll set a program on it while we conclude matters.” He typed on the small attached keyboard and then turned her way.
She wanted to back away again, but there was nowhere to go. “I can handle prison.”
Theo shook his head. “I don’t think the king would send his best friend’s brother’s mate to prison. Dage is all about family and connections.”
Her mouth opened. “You still want to mate me?”
“Yes. Right now, actually.” He didn’t offer any other explanation, and the green in his eyes completely overtook the black. “You need it to survive, and I need it to have a hold on you. Forever.” Then he kissed her. Holding her in place, he plundered deep.
Electricity jolted through her body. The kisses from him before… Those were different. Sweet and exploring. This was firm, deep, and hot. A claiming. Whatever she’d sensed in Theo, that predator he banked low with humor and watchfulness…was unleashed. He treated her like she was a strong woman. One who could take what he wanted to give.
That alone made her want to mate him. She was a gambler, and this would be the biggest gamble of her long life.
Then he gentled the kiss, starting to back her across the kitchen. Oh, hell no. If this was going to happen, and she wanted it to happen, he didn’t get to treat her like the fragile thing she’d pretended to be for so long. She jerked her mouth free. “What are you doing?”
“Going to the bedroom.” His hold lightened, even as his body was a long tense line of contained power. “I won’t hurt you, Gin. You can trust me.”
Ah, the sweet vampire. If she’d wanted to be coddled, she would’ve accepted one of the many offers to basically sit on a mated pedestal through the years. So she shot a punch into his gut, giving her just enough room to slip out of his grasp.
His chin lifted in warning, and those stark eyes glittered. “What are you doing?”
She edged around the counter and toward the door. “I don’t want gentle or sweet. In fact, I don’t want a wimp of a mate. I need pure strength and power.”
Now his chin lowered. “You think I can’t protect you?”
Sure, he could protect her when she needed it. But she wanted all of him—not just the protector. “I’m fairly capable, Theo.” She moved backward, keeping him in her sights, into the living area. Pain flashed along her palm. Real pain, like a deep burn. Oh God. She glanced down. The marking. The Celtic knot, winding and beautiful, that presented itself when a witch found her mate. She couldn’t breathe.
He stalked her, his steps slow and measured. “What game are you playing now?”
She swallowed, focusing back on him. This was really happening. “No game. I don’t want a mate I can lead around by the nose. You want me?” she whispered, stepping toward the sofas.
“You know I do.” He kept coming, his movement fluid. “Stop playing.”
“Make me.” With a quick move, she made it around the sofa, putting it between them. Her heart thundered, and her body had sprung fully alive. Pushing him was a bad idea, horrible, really, yet she knew what she wanted. Theo unleashed. “I used to watch you,T.”
