“It’s actually yours,” he returned.
She pressed back against her chair and tightened her fingers around the glass. Warning trilled through her along with need. “I may stay human.” She couldn’t bear to see him hurt as she aged and then died. And what about children? She didn’t even need to ask if he could have kids with a human. There wasn’t a chance.
He just studied her, his gaze a possessive caress against her skin. “I won’t force you, but I want this. Want you. Forever.” He reclaimed his glass, his shoulders so wide the chair wasn’t quite big enough to hold him. “I knew deep down from our first moment that you were my mate. You had all the qualities of the woman in my dream, not to mention you’re brilliant, brave, and beautiful.”
“That’s a lot ofb’s, Garrett,” she said weakly. Oh, she could pretend amusement with him, but not to herself. She’d been in love with him since he’d saved her in a dream so long ago, and every second with him in real life had only reinforced those feelings. But, in her case, love came with sacrifice, and she wouldn’t let him ruin his life because of her. “Can you mate more than one person?”
“No,” he murmured, watching her with a heat that spiraled through her body along with a strong sense of caution. “Once mated, neither of us can touch another romantically without contracting a horrible rash.” He held up his glass and flashed his teeth. “Welcome to immortality. There’s no cheating.”
“There’s no chance? I mean, if I’m gone?”
“You won’t be gone. There is a virus mates can take to negate the bond, usually years from the death of one, but I won’t take it. You’re it for me, Dessie.” His eyes flashed to the bluish silver. “That dream you had of me was Fate intervening, as she sometimes does.”
The lump in her stomach wouldn’t disappear. She wanted to protect him. “I’m human. No matter what I once was, right now, I’m human. That means we can’t mate. Or if we do, it can’t last for me, and then you’re stuck for life? I don’t think so.”
“Then no biopsy.” He set his wineglass down. Slowly and deliberately. “You are not going under the knife without a mating mark on your ass, even if it’s temporary, Destiny. Period.”
She reared up. “It’s my choice and my ass, Garrett Kayrs.”
“They both belong to me—even if we don’t mate.” He planted both broad hands on the table, looking immovable and so damn handsome butterflies winged through her abdomen as if shot out of a bottle. “The sooner you get that into your beautiful head, the easier life will be for you.”
She put her glass down to keep from throwing it at his bossy head. “I’m not afraid of you.”
“Then you’re not nearly as smart as either one of us believes.” He crossed his arms, and the play of muscle in his chest and biceps was impressive. And unintentional. He wore strength and power naturally.
Her mouth watered. While she wanted to argue and protest his high-handedness, it had been a difficult day, and her head hurt. The many sedatives she’d been given also slowed her blood to a sluggish pace. “I fully plan on explaining in detail to you tomorrow why you’re a moron who can’t win this, but I’m done.” Even her vision had gone blurry.
His phone buzzed, and he retrieved it from his pocket while entrapping her with his gaze. “Kayrs.” He listened but didn’t look away. “She’s here now.” He handed over the phone.
She pressed it to her ear. “Hello?”
“Hey, girlfriend. It’s Honor. I wanted to check on you. Things have been nuts at demon headquarters, so I haven’t made it over there yet, but I miss talking to you. How are you doing?”
A lump rose in Dessie’s throat. She had a friend she could remember, and that friend had called. “I’m well.” Tears filled her eyes and threatened to spill over. “Thank you.” Her voice choked on the last.
Garrett reclaimed the phone. “It has been a rough day here, and I think Dessie is done. You’re a sweetheart for calling, and I’ll make sure she calls you tomorrow.” He tossed the phone near his plate and stood, bending down to lift her. “The bathtub in this place is massive, and there’s some bubbly stuff next to it that Janie left for you. You’re going to soak in the tub and then go to sleep. Our fight will wait until tomorrow.”
It was a brief reprieve, but she’d take it. Why did his holding her against his rock-hard chest make her want to fight on his side instead of her own? She sighed.
He kissed the top of her head. “Let it all go for tonight. You can give me your decision tomorrow. If you don’t want to mate, we won’t. But you’re sticking here until you’re cured. Period.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
After a delicious bath, Dessie snuggled into the overlarge bed with the wind whistling outside. She fell asleep immediately, awakening when an iron-hard arm banded around her waist and tugged her into so much heat she groaned. Muscle surrounded her, and she dove right back into dreamland, feeling safe and secure in a way she’d never experienced as a child.
The dream started much as before, with her falling and then landing in a grassy meadow. She rolled and came up on her feet, searching for any threat. The day was sunny, and the sky a robin’s egg blue. A light wind rustled the grass, and the smell of sugar cookies wafted beneath her nose.
She relaxed muscles from her toes to her head and then back, letting her mind flash symbols and text across her eyes. They separated and then formed a pattern she could analyze.
Fear fissured through her, but she ignored it. Her survival was in doubt, so she had little to lose. She lifted her hands toward the lovely sky, much the way Hope had in the hell dream world. Then she uttered an ancient chant, her subconscious working far faster than the rest of her brain.
Three portals opened up above her.
She blinked and stepped back. They were black with fuzzy edges, and they moved as if alive. Which one would get her home? The experiment had been a success in that she’d opened them; now she needed to analyze what she’d done. What it meant. She wanted to be back in that bed with Garrett’s protective arms around her.
Waves emanated from the middle portal like steam off hot asphalt in the summer. She’d seen that happen in a movie the headmistress had allowed them to watch years ago. Then energy zipped out, pulling her off the ground
She fought it, pushing herself down and planting her feet. A creature shrieked from the portal to the right.
