Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 34709 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 174(@200wpm)___ 139(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34709 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 174(@200wpm)___ 139(@250wpm)___ 116(@300wpm)
“Yes.”
She coughed and tried not to sneeze from the dust swirling around. “I’ve met Nia and really like her. I think three thousand years is a long time to carry a torch, don’t you?”
“Never. There is no time that a torch like that will be extinguished.”
Oh, great. She was stuck with the one Kurjan in the world who was a romantic. “Listen, this is a really bad idea. How about you let me go, and let’s forget it?”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible.” His watch dinged, and he looked down. “I must go. We found two more enhanced females near the Eiffel Tower. We can add them to the other five and ship them out tomorrow by midnight.” He looked over his shoulder at the male with the red medals. “Make sure we have enough room on the plane.”
“Of course, sir,” the male answered.
Leah shook her head. Enhanced human females could mate with immortals. Her enhancement was one of strategy, brilliance, and, quite possibly, empathy.
He stood and looked at the men behind him. They had fewer medals than he had, so they must be his subordinates. “Jasper Maxwell, her mate, should be here within the hour. I expect you to take him, but don’t decapitate him. Jasper is my kill.” His nostrils flared. “Keep this lovely human alive as well.”
She tried to kick out but looked slightly pathetic without her shoes. “You know I’m mated. Why would you want me to live if you capture Jasper?”
“Besides the Maxwell Curse that means both you and your mate die if kept apart for too long?”
Darn it. That fact appeared to be common knowledge. “Yeah. Besides that.”
His purple gaze swirled with hints of red. “There’s a virus that negates the mating bond. My brother has been interested in you for years and would be here right now if he weren’t busy handling matters in London. You’ll like him.” He snorted. “Maybe in a few centuries. He’s kind of the asshole of the family.” With that, he disappeared down the long, dark hallway.
Leah stared at the three soldiers. “Who’s up for a bribe? I have resources you can barely imagine.” All imaginary, but she could bluff with the best of them. Darkness swirled around her again. How strong was that sedative? She went limp, slipping into unconsciousness and swearing the entire way.
Chapter Seven
“Leah. Leah, wake up, damn it. Wake up.” The voice came from very far away.
Her feet hurt. Her head hurt. Her butt hurt. “Whoa.” Pain clashed through her head stronger than a hammer on steel beams.
“You’re okay. Take a deep breath.”
She instantly obeyed the voice. She knew that voice. Keeping her eyelids shut, she let her hearing take over. Something rustled, and a drip, drip, drip pinged in the distance. The ground beneath her was cold, and it felt like rocks pushed against her back. She slowly opened her eyes and let her vision clear. She sat on a hard stone floor with her arms in shackles above her head. Panicking, she looked around to see Jasper next to her, similarly secured.
“Wait a minute. I passed out again?” she whispered, her voice coming out as a croak.
His gaze darkened. “Are you all right? You’ve been out for some time.”
She shook her head. “What happened? Why are you here? Where are we?” She looked around. Dark and dank, the freezing underground room held no windows. “We’re in a stone room?” she asked groggily. Wait. This was familiar. She’d awoken here once before.
“Something like that.” He pulled on his chains. Blood covered the side of his face, and purple bruises marred his chin and down his neck to his clavicle. His ankle was twisted at an odd angle, as well.
“Is your foot broken?”
“My ankle is,” he said dryly.
Blue sequins dotted the area around her. “I don’t believe this.” Her dress was falling apart. “Jasper, why are you here?” Why couldn’t her brain kick into gear? None of this made sense. “Wait a minute. Now, I remember. I’m the bait.”
Jasper chuckled. “Yes, baby. You were bait.”
She glared at him. “Then why are you here?” The guy should be smart enough to avoid being kidnapped.
“To get to you, Mate,” he said quietly.
She jerked against the restraints. “Where are we?”
“A couple of blocks down from the convention center.”
Her memory finally returned. “Wallace is in charge of the Kurjans here. He wants to kill you.”
“I’m sure.”
Fire blasted through her. Being this close to him, even chained up and freezing, awakened the nerves in her body. Especially—and unfortunately—the ones located in every erogenous zone. “Then why did you just walk into an obvious trap?” If she could smack him, she would.
“To. Find. You.” His eyes blazed an unholy green shot through with silver, possessiveness clearly stamped on his hard face.
“Oh.” She swallowed. “All right.” She studied him, trying to remain critical and ignore the fact that she wanted to lick up his neck until she reached his lips. Her mouth watered. This was exactly why she’d kept her distance. Losing control over her body was too much of a risk to take in life. “You look like a disaster. Did you fight all three of the Kurjans guarding this place?”