Vixen (Dark Protectors #11.5) - Rebecca Zanetti Page 0,33

giant was now being a bossy asshat should not turn her on or make her happy.

Yet the warmth in her center wouldn’t leave. “Evan—”

“You haven’t answered my question, so I’ll lead you there.” He removed her top, settling his bare chest over hers and groaning softly. “Are we mated?”

She rolled her eyes, her hands working on their own to caress down his flanks. Her nipples hardened against him. “Yes.”

“Is mating forever?”

“Apparently so,” she said, scratching down his heated back, still sure she could turn this around. “You’re welcome for my bringing you into this world.”

“Hmm.” He kissed her then—finally. Deep and sure with more than a hint of power. Oh, it had been there before, but he’d held back. Now he gave it all, giving her no choice but to take it. Then he released her, leaning back as if time had no meaning. “I was already in this world but hadn’t realized how big it was. Now you’re with me in it, demonness. I’m being as gentle as I can be with you, but you’re going to come to grips with it and soon.”

How had she missed this in him? “What the hell does that mean?” Why was he turning her on and pissing her off at the same time? It was too hard to concentrate.

“You mated me knowing full well what mating meant. I’m just taking you up on the offer.” His phone buzzed and he stiffened, reaching for it on his dresser. “It’s the king.”

She stiffened. “The king has your cell number?”

“Yeah. I called in a favor before he left the other day.” Evan sounded so damn casual about the freaking king of the entire Realm.

Who was this male she’d mated? What had she done? “What favor?”

“I let his woman take my blood and yours.” Evan lifted the phone. “Morning, Dage. What do you have?” His voice was all business, and then he listened, his gaze remaining on Tabi’s eyes. “When?” Those blue eyes narrowed. “Thanks for arranging the meeting.” He ended the call, his jaw hardening.

“What?” Tabi whispered.

The phone shattered in his hand. He looked at it, his brows rising. “Shit.”

She shivered, taken aback. Maybe he was more dangerous than even she’d realized. “We need to work on that strength.”

He tossed the useless pieces toward the floor and looked back at her. “We. I like that. Now you’re learning.”

Irritation mixed with the desperate desire flooding her. This entire situation had gotten away from her, and it seemed Evan had the control now. Oh, she had to do something about that but couldn’t think of the right move. “What did the king say?” she asked.

“The Popovs flew to Indiana yesterday. They’re here now.” He rolled off her to stand.

She sat up, grabbing the covers. Wait a second. They had been getting naked and working out this dynamic between them. Hopefully an orgasm or two would get them on the same track. “What the heck are you doing?”

“I’m going to take care of them. One way or the other. You stay here.” He reached for his discarded jeans.

She jumped out of bed, not caring she was only wearing light green panties. “Oh, hell no.”

Chapter 13

The Popovs weren’t what Evan expected. He sat across from them at Jimmy’s diner in the middle of town, their table at the rear of the local landmark. They were brothers, and they looked like it. What they didn’t look like were demons.

Allen seemed to be the leader of the two, and his black hair was longer than his brother’s and reached his shoulders. He also looked to be an inch or two taller. Both males had reflective topaz colored eyes and a lot of facial hair that wasn’t exactly groomed. Did some demons look like hicks?

Tabi sat next to him, her expression serene but her eyes lively. “Heard you two had some trouble down in Argentina with your factories.”

The younger brother, Lance, leaned forward. “That was you?”

She waved her delicate hand through the air. “Of course not. You know that’s not my style. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if it had been Richard Goncharov in an attempt to woo me.”

Allen snorted. “I heard about that. Apparently you didn’t take him up on the offer, and yet I’ll track him down about those factories. Thanks for the tip.”

“He’s dead,” Evan said smoothly.

Lance looked at Tabi. “You?”

“No,” Evan said. “Me.”

The two males turned to study him, although they’d been unobtrusively doing so since Evan and Tabi had sat in the still busy café.

“You’re not a