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“When you know, you know. She was prepared to wait for the right one. After all, you can’t force love.”

“It doesn’t have to be love with these guys,” Blaze said. “As long as they get along, isn’t that enough?”

Leandra tilted her head from side to side. “Maybe for some, but many of these creatures live for decades. I don’t want them to be miserable by pairing them with the wrong mate. After all, you only get one shot at finding the real thing.”

He grunted. Was Leandra right? Blaze’s opportunity to find a match was hurtling toward him like an out-of-control freight train.

He had to figure out how to shut off his emotions, just like Eden did so effectively. Otherwise, he’d never make his parents’ matchmaking work. Then he’d be miserable, too, stuck with the wrong match who may look perfect on paper, but it would never be enough if there was no spark.

Blaze lifted his head as a thudding came from the next room.

Leandra groaned. “Do me a favor. Go see what they need. This lot are keeping me on my toes tonight. I won’t get a wink of sleep.”

“Sure. What’s in there?”

An excited grin crossed her face. “Just you wait. It’ll blow your mind.”

He returned her grin and headed into the next room. It was dark and muggy and felt like a tropical climate. The room lit slightly as he inched his way forward, and his fingers brushed against glass.

Nipper squeaked in his ear.

“It’s okay, buddy,” Blaze said quietly.

There was another thud, causing him to tense. His hand went to the gun on his right hip as he leaned closer to the glass.

Glowing eyes glared at him.

“No way! It’s a xilo.” Blaze stepped closer to the glass, and Nipper alarm squeaked again.

“He can’t get to us. Will you look at that?” A huge, glossy black xilo stared back at him.

The door behind him opened softly. “What do you reckon? Pretty awesome, right?” Leandra said.

“I never thought I’d see one of these. When did it arrive?”

“We got a shipment from the Dynamite a few weeks ago. This guy was on their cargo. We’ve had the pen ready ever since we set up the sanctuary in the hope one of the teams would capture a breeding pair.”

The xilo placed a huge paw against the glass.

“I know. It’s almost feeding time. I never forget you. You should know that by now,” Leandra said.

Blaze was fascinated as she placed food in the pen through a hatch at the bottom of the glass.

The creature unfurled an enormous green tongue and got to work on feeding. A row of silver back spines quivered as he ate.

“That magnificent tongue is believed to have aphrodisiac properties. That’s why xilos are always being hunted and killed,” Leandra said.

Blaze shook his head. “Idiots. What do they do with the tongue once they get it?”

“Some eat it. Some have it in powdered form and use it as a supplement. I even heard of a few weirdos who wrap pieces of the tongue around their dicks.” Leandra lifted a hand and laughed. “If I ever saw that on my guy, I’d run screaming for the hills.”

There were several more thuds, but they came from outside the room.

Blaze cocked his head. “Have you got more pens out back?”

“Nope. I don’t know what that was. Wait here. I’ll check it out. Keep an eye on the xilo. He likes you.” Leandra tickled Nipper on the head and then headed out another door.

Blaze leaned against the wall, captivated by the creature in front of him. “Are you waiting for the real thing? Some hot, razor-backed female to come along and sweep you off your paws, or will anyone cute and well-bred do for you?”