Vixen (Dark Protectors #11.5) - Rebecca Zanetti Page 0,31
she was in Evan’s bed next to the ex-cop and his incredibly hard body. Two snoring dogs sprawled out on the floor. “Hello?” she answered, trying to center herself.
“Hi, Tabi. It’s Emma. I’m sorry to have awakened you,” the queen said, sounding distracted.
Tabi sat up, her breath catching. “That’s all right. What’s going on?”
“Nothing. I just finished the blood tests, and your blood is reacting like any new mate’s would. Evan’s is different, but I think it’s just because he’s the only enhanced human male I’ve ever tested. The cells are wild, really. How is he doing?”
“Great,” Tabi said. “How is his blood different?”
Evan turned on his side, his blue eyes clear as he watched her.
“His blood is changing much faster than I’ve ever seen a mate’s blood change, which might be unique to him, rather than all human males. The cells are amping up like they’ve been shot full of adrenaline, and the chromosomal pair advancement is almost already done. I just don’t know. He might be stronger than most immortals as well, but we’ll see. I assume he’ll be like most mates and gain your skills, but his might be enhanced on their own, which would be something new. I’d like to conduct more tests on him.”
Tabi swallowed. “We’ll definitely keep it in mind.”
“Is he showing any unusual signs? Anything that has caught your attention?” the queen asked.
“Well, he’s being a bossy and overbearing butthead,” Tabi said, remembering the night before when he hadn’t really given her a choice in where she was staying the night. “I’d even say controlling.”
Emma laughed. “That’s not out of the ordinary for a mate. I meant something more or that doesn’t seem right.”
Like the fact that Evan had punched right through a demon soldier’s throat the night before and then had calmly dug a grave in the middle of nowhere that would never be found? “No, I haven’t noticed anything,” Tabi lied. “If I do, I’ll call you right away. For now, we have some adjusting to do.”
“I understand. It’s not an easy time for a new mate, even one who’s a demonness. Take it from somebody who’s been there. Life is a lot easier if you work together on it, and being protected and safe is a pretty nice way to live—especially once you have kids.” The queen signed off.
Kids? Who said anything about kids? Tabi was at least a century away from wanting kids, and if Evan was this overbearing now, he’d be impossible once they had kids. If they had kids. If they stayed together to have kids someday in the far away future, which was something she had not agreed to yet.
She looked over at her mate. After disposing of the body the night before, Evan had insisted she stay the night at his bungalow, and she’d basically passed out from exhaustion and what was probably shock.
In the early dawn light, he watched her in that way he had—one he’d used even as a human. Now it held even more power.
Her body short-circuited in response, one more thing out of her control suddenly. Rain splattered against the window, with the storm having strengthened throughout the night, and her blood started to pump in tune with the wild weather. “Your tests show you might have a very rare extraordinary strength,” she murmured.
“No kidding.” He continued to watch her.
She met his gaze, refusing to back down. “If you have something to say, say it.”
“If I’d met you when I was healthy, I would’ve handled you differently,” he said, his voice a low rumble in the morning.
She partially turned to face him, comfortable that the borrowed shirt covered her completely. “Handled me? I don’t think so, Detective.”
He leaned up on his powerful arm, and the muscles rippled across his chest. “I was trying to save you from the hypocrisy in this town, in this county, so you could leave before I died.”
She forced a smile, hoping it looked somewhat bored. Or sarcastic. “You’re done trying to save me now?”
One of his dark eyebrows rose. “Oh, I’m definitely going to save you from whoever these Popovs are, and we’re going to have a nice long talk about them later today. I want to know everything, and if there’s a way to reason with them without killing, I’ll find it.”
“And if not?” she whispered.
His gaze didn’t waver. “Then I’ll take off their heads.” He looked down at his other fist. “Apparently I don’t need any other weapon to do so.”
Just because he’d been