“Maybe we desire freedom just a bit more.” Her gaze grew distant.

Daydreaming of someone in particular? “Dalli?”

She raised her face. “By the way, I suggest you shower before you go. The scent of nymph arousal wouldn’t be a good opener if she is indeed the jealous type.”

“She needs to get used to it, because I will be bedding others.”

“Rune, trust me on this.”

“Very well. Just this once.” He stripped off his trews, then headed for her bathing chamber.

As he strode past her, cock swaying, Dalli sighed. “I’m going to miss that.”

“Trust me, dove. It’s not going anywhere. Rune the Insatiable does not do monogamy.”

THIRTY-ONE

That little vampire bitch!”

When Jo strolled back into Rune’s demolished museum, she heard him muttering, “Should’ve fucked Dalli sideways.” Whatever that meant.

He twisted around on Jo. “What the hells is this?”

She shrugged with a smile. “Dunno.”

“I don’t understand you! You knew how much I valued these things.” The ends of his hair were wet from a recent shower. How many had he been with this time? “You knew this collection was priceless.”

“Yep.” How could she still find him so attractive? With his black leather pants and white tunic, he looked as gorgeous as ever. The bow slung over his shoulder and the quiver on his leg just amped his hotness level. Outside—gorgeous. Inside—not.

His expression turned menacing. “Do you think I won’t punish you?”

Try it. You won’t like what happens. She didn’t necessarily want to show him her powers—no reason to since she would never see him again—but she would if worse came to worst. She started toward the bedroom, making her way to the fire. “I’m ready to be let out now.”

He followed. “You destroyed everything because you couldn’t get out? You aren’t a prisoner! The wards are for protection as much as anything.”

“If I’m not a prisoner, then let me go.” She sat on the arm of his favorite chair.

“Without repercussions . . . ?” He eye-fucked her T-shirt clad body, as if he’d just realized she was naked beneath. He really is insatiable.

“I could’ve trashed your library too.” She’d left it untouched; though she couldn’t read, she revered books. Maybe all the more because she’d never delved into their mysteries.

“The only reason I’m not tanning your ass right now is because you’re going to pay me back sexually.” He closed in on her, towering over her. “And, Josephine, you can’t imagine the tab you just ran up.”

A laugh burst from her lips. “You’re so not serious.”

He drew his head back in confusion. “I am the one who’s been wronged here! Me! In thanks for tracing you to safety and treating your wounds, you wrecked my home. I saved your life!”

She stood to show him she wasn’t intimidated. “Please. I would’ve rallied.”

“You’re young. There was chance you hadn’t been frozen into your immortality yet.”

“Frozen means . . . ?” At his frown, she said, “We might call it something different where I’m from.”

“When a Lorean is at his strongest and stops growing older. When he can regenerate from lost limbs and such. The transition to full immortality.”

“Oh, yeah. When did you freeze?”

“What? I was twenty-nine.”

“Then you think twenty-five would be a good age for me to?” If so, how had Jo regenerated her face and brain at eleven years old? Another question to add to her list.

“It’s within an average range for a female. Males freeze later. How could you not know these things? You align with the Forbearers, don’t you? And of course, you’re further sheltered by your age.”

Forbearers? “What do you suppose a Forbearer to be? We might call ourselves something different.”

“An order of vampires who were once mortal, still living as humans do. They refuse to drink from the flesh, like vampire monks, and they’re uninformed about the Lore. If you were raised among them, it would explain a lot.”

“Gotcha.” With so much in common with them, maybe she should try to find them.

“No denial?” Voice gone rough, he said, “Is my flesh the first you’ve taken?” His black brows were drawn, his magenta eyes flickering.

She found her body responding to that look. He was just inside someone else, Jo! But she refused to reveal how jealous she’d been. “I’m ready to be let out.”

“To go where? So quick to leave me behind?” His tone was surly.

The nerve! He’d been out screwing nymphs—was freshly showered from his adventures. “I have my own life. I have things I need to do.”

“Namely, your male.”

“What are you talking about?”

He pulled a flask from his pants pocket and drew deep. “The man I saw with Nïx is yours.”

“I can promise you he’s not.”

Rune’s menacing expression eased, before returning full force. “Then why would you say you loved him? Ah, it’s unrequited? That’s got to hurt. I’d wondered why you’d dressed like a man-eater the other night. You sought to impress him!”

She considered telling him about her brother, but again, she had no reason to. The less Rune knew about her, the better. “I’m done talking about this.”