“He wasn’t. I don’t think,” Tabi said.
“Enough with this cult bullshit,” Evan barked. “I will shoot you.”
Adare’s eyebrows rose. “He seems like an asshole. I’ve also heard something about testosterone and strength in mated human males that’s unreal and had other species wary, which is probably why they were killed off.” Then he stiffened, lifting his head and glancing outside. “Well, now. I guess I didn’t have time to do much here. Good. Truth be told, I’m not sure what should be done with you, human.”
Oh, man. Did these people think they were aliens or something? Evan shook his head. “How big is your cult?” They kept coming out of the woodwork.
As if on cue, bodies poured inside through both the back and front doors, all huge and wearing black clothing outfitted with several weapons. Evan backed Tabi to the fireplace, his gun at the ready, keeping his body between her and any threat. As soon as the house was swept, the soldiers all exited, save one large bastard with messy brown hair and eyes hidden by dark sunglasses. He stood by the door and tapped his ear. “The house is clear.”
Who the hell were these people?
Evan leaned to the side. “When I tell you to run, do it.”
The mammoth by the door shook his head. “There’s nowhere to run. We have the entire block blanketed.”
Evan drew in a deep breath. All right. If this was his last stand, it wasn’t a bad one. Then a woman walked through the doorway, and he kept his aim on the huge guy, careful not to point at her.
“Thank you, Max,” she said softly, patting the big guy on the arm while carrying what looked like a doctor’s bag in her free hand. She was about medium height with long black hair and stunning blue eyes, and she’d dressed in dark jeans and a light green sweater. Her smile was contagious, and those eyes really sparkled. “You must be Evan.”
Tabi pushed him in the back and shoved her way to his side. “Um, hi. Your highness. I mean, Queen.”
This was the queen? The woman looked like the girl next door.
“Emma,” she said, her lips curving. “You demonnesses sure cause some trouble. I love that about you.”
A man walked through the door, tension emanating from him. Was that charisma? Or something more? He eyed Evan and then moved to the queen’s side. He was tall and broad with black hair, his eyes also shielded by glasses.
Tabi, swear to God, curtseyed. “King Dage Kayrs. I’ve seen pictures of you both.”
King? Oh, holy crap. The woman was in deep. Evan switched his aim to this so-called king, and that Max fellow instantly growled and moved forward.
The king stopped him with a wave of his hand. “It’s okay, Max. O’Connell isn’t a shoot first kind of guy.” He smiled, all charm. “I might’ve caught up on you and any records pertaining to you while we flew here. Nice job overseas, by the way.” He then turned his attention to Tabi. “Tabitha Rusko. I was so sorry to learn of your guardian’s passing.”
Tabi gaped. “How did you know about me? About Janet?”
The king guy sighed, the sound long suffering.
Emma rolled her eyes. “He’s the king. Sometimes people forget that.” She turned and patted his arm. “I know you could blow up the entire world with your brain because you’re so powerful and all of that, Dage, but let’s stay on track here.” She pressed her lips together. “So, Tabitha. You mated a human male? Fascinating.” She turned and studied Evan, delight dancing across her face.
Evan had the strongest urge to step back.
Max, the massive soldier, pressed his lips together as if trying not to laugh.
Adare took in the scene from his position near door. “I’ll leave you to it, then. You owe me, king.” Then he smoothly walked outside and into the breezy day.
“Say hi to Grace for me,” Emma called out, studying Tabi as strongly as she had Evan. “So. I was a geneticist before mating the king here, and I’m now the chief researcher for the Realm. Does anybody mind if I take a little blood?”
Evan snarled. “I have no idea what you’re all into, but nobody is biting me.” Did these wackos actually think they were vampires?
The queen frowned. “Biting? No. I brought syringes. Of course.”
Evan calculated the odds, and they weren’t good. There had been enough soldiers, fully armed, searching his house that it was possible the entire neighborhood really was covered.
Dage watched him. “Why is he so sketchy? If he agreed to mate, surely he understood the parameters.”
Tabi rocked back on her heels. “Well, he might not have truly understood the situation.”
Evan glanced at her, and her face turned a lovely pink. “You’re wrong. I most certainly understand what’s happening. You’re all in some weird cult, you drugged me, and you branded my hip,” he said.
The queen stood straighter. “Can I see?”
“No,” Evan snapped.
Dage pursed his lips. “Let me get this straight. First, we have an enhanced male human mated by a young demonness, and second, he doesn’t know about other species.”
Max looked them over. “I’d say this is a clusterfuck.”
Evan caught sight of the soldier’s left hand. “Is that pink fingernail polish with sparkles?”
Max growled and shoved his hand in his pocket. “I lost at darts. Don’t want to talk about it. Teenagers can be mean. Really, really, really mean.”
Evan caught his breath. They were all crazy.
Dage shoved both of his hands in his pockets. “All right. Let’s start small. Evan, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t shoot me.” He took off his glasses, and his eyes glowed an eerie silver.
“Nice contacts,” Evan said.
Dage smiled, and fangs dropped down from his mouth.
Evan swallowed. He reacted instantly, going tense.
Dage snarled and backed away. “Jesus. That’s some power. Everyone shield your minds.”
Tabi nodded vigorously. “I forgot that part. He could shield before I mated him, and he even shielded me from a demon mind attack. It appears he can attack, too. The guy is talented, I’m telling you.”
She actually sounded proud of him.
Evan’s ears rang. “I didn’t attack anybody’s mind. For Pete’s sakes, knock it off.” How did Dage get the fake fangs? Probably some sort of movie prop.
Dage apprised him, and those fake fangs went back into his mouth. How did he do that?
Evan looked at the so-called queen. “I suppose you have wild eyes and fangs, too?”
She tapped her fingers on her doctor bag. “Of course not. I’m an enhanced human. No fangs.” Her face lit and she jutted her head forward to stare at Tabi’s neck. “Did he bite you, too?” She turned toward Dage. “That’s interesting, right? Humans don’t usually bite. We need to find more records of enhanced human males—there’s so much we don’t know. Even you didn’t know there were any left.”
Dage frowned. “I’m sure I never thought about it. Although, now remembering, I believe they could often be a threat. Something about human nature being compounded into an immortal with the male of the species.”
Emma hummed. “Well, that might make sense. Enhanced females are probably more intelligent and adaptable than the male of the species. Any species.” The woman didn’t seem to be joking.
Dage stepped away from the queen. “It appears as if fangs and eyes aren’t going to do it for you in this case, Evan O’Connell. I’m a rather busy guy at the moment, with possible wars breaking out and all of that, so let’s get on with this. I guess you’d better shoot me. Aim for the shoulder or leg, would you?”
Max instantly stepped forward. “No. Shoot me.”
Fuck, these folks were nuts. Evan looked at Emma, hoping for some sort of rationality.
She stepped away. “Don’t shoot me. I mean, I heal as well, but I hate to get shot. It’s such a pain.”
Evan could feel the danger around him, but he’d never been a person who could shoot an unarmed man. He shook his head.
“For Pete’s sakes.” Tabi grabbed his gun, yanked it free, and shot Dage Kayrs three times in the left arm before Evan could stop her.
Chapter 9
Tabi’s mouth gaped open. “I shot the king,” she whispered. Who would’ve thought?
Dage gave her a look as blood poured from the three wounds. “Thanks for missing my head.”
Evan launched into motion, grabbing a pillow from the sofa. “Press this against the wounds, and I’ll call for an ambulance.” His voice was low and controlled as he no doubt fell back on training.
Dage sighed and pushed the pillow away. “Watch the wounds.”
“What?” Evan snapped, tension rolling from him.
“Watch,” Dage said, looking down at the bleeding holes in his arm. He sucked in air, and three bullets instantly plopped out of his flesh to fall onto the wooden floor. Then the holes mended shut. He wiped his arm off, leaving streaks of blood. “All good. See?”
Evan took a step back. “But…no way. No. That was a trick.”
“It was your gun, buddy.” The king used the word buddy? He looked at Tabi. “You know him better than we do. If his human personality is amplified, is he dangerous?”
“No. Bossy, controlling, and protective, however,” she murmured. And she’d mated the guy.
Emma smiled. “Sounds like a normal vampire to me. Now can I please take some blood? I’ve never studied blood from an enhanced human male or a demonness who’d just mated one. This is so exciting.”
Dage lifted his chin. “I’d like him unconscious if you’re near him.”
Max stepped forward. “I’d be happy to knock him out.”
Evan growled, low and hard. “Try it.”
Desire, warm and fast, flowed through Tabi’s body. That sound. Her neck, right where he’d bitten her, pulsed as if in perfect tune. “Why don’t you take my blood first?”
“No,” Evan said, his back vibrating.
The queen sighed. “This is too much. Maybe they should accompany us to Realm headquarters, and we can make friends there?”
Dage crossed powerful arms, one still bloody. “I’ve heard worse ideas.” He looked at Tabi. “How close are you to finishing with your prototypes at your factory?”
Her mouth gaped open and she quickly shut it. “How do you know—”
“The. King.” Dage muttered. “I know shit. Just answer the question, please.”
Very impressive. “I’m probably a couple of months out, and if those work, I can go into mass production within another couple of weeks.” She tried not to sound too proud.
“Excellent,” Dage said. “I hope you give the Realm the right of first refusal. We’d make it well worth your while.”
She smiled. Most of her people, maybe all, really liked making money. It came in so handy for a demonness. “Of course.”
Emma tilted her head. “What’s your invention?”
“It’s a spray that masks faces from all CCTV and other recording devices,” Tabi said. “Since humans have caught up so quickly with technology, and since we potentially live for thousands of years, it’s necessary.”
Emma smiled. “That’s brilliant. Good on you.”
Tabi tried to gauge Evan’s mood, but his face revealed nothing. His mind had to be spinning. “So I guess we should talk?” she asked.
He turned, disbelief still in his eyes. “I don’t know what to say.”
Vulnerability twittered through Tabi, and she turned toward the queen, who’d once been an enhanced human. “Was it difficult for you to accept that there were different species on the planet?”
Emma shrugged. “No, but I’m psychic and knew there was more out there than anybody else could imagine. It seems like your mate’s ability is like a demon mind destroyer’s. He probably didn’t even realize he had an ability.”
Evan shook his head wildly and then reached for his gun in Tabi’s hands before placing it on the mantle. “I’m not saying I believe all of this, considering I might’ve been drugged last night, but if I did, are you telling me I’m about to turn into a demon?”
Max snorted. “No. Nobody turns into anything different than they started as. We’re all different species. Stop watching late night television.”
Evan lowered his chin in an intriguing and threatening move.
Tabi grinned. Man, he was sexy. Hopefully he wouldn’t turn into an immortal jerk now that she’d forced his chromosomes to multiply. And if she believed in fate, which she might, the marking did appear on her hand after he’d kissed her. That mattered to her people. “Listen. When an immortal mates an enhanced human, the human becomes immortal and can’t die except by beheading or being burned to dust. Also, mates share abilities, so that happens.”
Emma nodded. “Most mates can communicate telepathically after a while, too.”
Dage watched Evan closely. “Mating is forever. You touch another female, since you’re mated to one, and you’ll get an allergic reaction that is not funny.”
Emma looked to her side at the king. “Well, mating doesn’t have to be—”
“It is,” Dage said, his jaw hard. “When both parties are alive, even a deadly virus won’t negate the mating bond.”
Emma shrugged. “That might be true.” She smiled at Evan. “Welcome to immortality.”
He turned and looked at Tabi. “Everyone needs to get out of my house. Except for you, Tabitha.”
A shiver wound down her spine. Was it fear? No. She’d never be afraid of Evan. Maybe wary, though. Her nipples peaked.
Emma switched her bag to her other hand. “If you let me draw blood from you both, then I promise I’ll take all of these soldiers out of Indiana and fly them far away. You have my word.”
“I thought we were taking them to headquarters,” Max interjected.
“No,” Tabi said. “We have a lot going on here, but I’ll contact you if we want to seek refuge.” Heck. Once she told Evan everything, she might be the one needing a safe place to land. Then she placed her hand on Evan’s arm and turned toward him. “Trust me. She just wants blood to study.”
“Trust you?” he repeated, his gaze shuttered. “Are you insane?”
Max chuckled. “Most demons are crazy, and the Ruskos are legendary.”
Tabi glowered at him.
Emma withdrew medical supplies from her bag, hopping with what looked like excitement. “Who wants to be first?”
* * * *
The atmosphere in his home did feel different after everyone had left. Evan tried to grapple with what he’d just learned and turned for his kitchen. He might as well see if he’d gone nuts.
“What are you doing?” Tabitha asked, following him.
He reached for a knife from the block. “Seeing if this is all bullshit.” Taking a deep breath, he lifted the blade. It wasn’t like he hadn’t been cut before in a fight or two.
“Wait.” She grabbed his wrist. “You probably don’t have healing cells yet. Don’t cut yourself.”
How could he have missed an entire other world living around them? It just didn’t make sense. He paused, his mind reeling.
She gently took the knife and set it on the counter. “Okay. This must seem really weird to you.” For once, the woman looked unsure of herself. She sighed. “Fine.” Faster than a human should be able to move, she recaptured the knife and plunged the blade through her wrist. Blood burst out of the punctured vein.
Adrenaline flooded his system so fast he leaped for the dishtowel and wrapped it around her wrist. “Tabitha,” he gasped. “What the hell?”
She winced. “That really does hurt.”
Blood welled through the thin material.
“Okay. Now watch.” She pushed his hand away and wiped blood with the towel. The deep puncture slowly mended shut, a white scar formed, and then it disappeared into smooth skin. She twisted the faucet and washed the remaining blood off her now healed wrist.
Evan swallowed, his stomach lurching. It was all true. She was a demonness, and that didn’t
even mean what he’d thought it would. She was just a different species. There were different species? Fucking crazy. “I need to sit down.” Before he could reach the barstool, his phone dinged from the counter, and he reached for it like a lifeline. “O’Connell.”
“Detective? It’s Noah Siosal, and I just returned from the store. Abby was arrested when I was gone—do you know anything about it?” The man sounded like he’d just eaten glass.
Evan straightened. “I was fired, so no doubt the sheriff is taking matters into his own hands, and he was very good friends with Abby’s ex.” Abby’s very dead ex-husband, that was. “Do you really have lawyers outside of town?” He went into cop mode and strode through the living room for his bedroom, reaching to yank on a T-shirt and searching for his socks.
“I just called in a couple from Indianapolis, and they’ll be here in about an hour,” Noah said tersely. “Why were you fired?”
“Doesn’t matter. Does Abby know to ask for a lawyer? I made sure the two interrogation rooms have video surveillance, so she should be okay until one arrives.” Evan sat and tugged on his socks, reaching for his boots by the dresser. “I still have a couple of friends in the department and will head down there right now to make sure she’s okay.” He didn’t put it past the sheriff to intimidate her and try for a confession.
“I’m right outside of the station. That turd threatened to arrest me if I didn’t leave the premises. Get here now.” Noah ended the call.
“Tabi, let the dogs inside.” Evan tossed the phone on the bed and dashed into the bathroom to brush his teeth and take care of business. When he returned, Tabi was already dressed with her hair in a ponytail. He paused. Wait a minute. “Is Noah—”
She nodded. “Yep. Part vampire, part demon. He mated Abby.” Tabi’s black eyes lit. “Hey. You can talk to her about all the changes. Maybe you are going through the same things.” She rubbed her nose. “We didn’t get a chance to talk, but you have to know, if you can’t get Abby out, Noah will just storm the building and damn the consequences.”
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