“I would never hurt a child, and I suspect Dayne knows that, since he hasn’t bombed us yet. But the Kurjans have been kidnapping Enhanced women across the world in preparation for a ritual we don’t know enough about, and if I have a chance to secure their release, I’m going to do so.”
She whirled on Ivar, waiting for him to chime in. “Well?”
The Viking looked at her. “Well, what?”
There were no words. Her throat ached with the need to yell at him. “Do something.” Then it dawned on her. Way too slowly. “You suspected Zane’s course of action.”
Ivar didn’t deny the accusation.
Zane cleared his throat. “Your quarters are down the south hall, third door on the right. It’s a nice suite, and the lock is prepared for your voice, Ivar. There are two bedrooms.” The demon leader moved to the doorway, all grace and strength. “I do hope the Seven’s penchant for getting their headquarters blown to bits is not contagious.” With that, he disappeared down the hallway, already issuing orders on his comm line.
Promise rubbed her chest. Her heart hurt. How odd. “I’m surprised you’d be a part of something like this.”
His slight nod acknowledged her surprise. “You live in a world of theories where you have the luxury of idealism.” He spread his arms out, taking in the whole room. “We don’t. Violence and subterfuge are part of every day for us.”
“You’ve had centuries to evolve,” she burst out.
He nodded. “Who says we haven’t?”
She disliked that he had a point.
He gestured her toward the door. “The only reason I’m not grabbing you and getting the hell out of this place is that the demons have a better missile defense system than any other species or any country on earth.”
She stumbled and righted herself, sweeping by him. So many thoughts went through her head, she had to pause to organize them into levels of importance. He took the lead again, obviously knowing where south lay, and soon opened a door to a spacious suite facing the lake. The living area was decorated in comfortable tones with high-end furniture. “Why did Zane assume we’d be staying together?” she asked, turning to face him.
“If you don’t know the answer to that, then you’re not as smart as I thought,” he said, shutting the door and leaning back against it.
Fair enough. “I’m really angry with you right now,” she said.
“I’m aware.” He smiled. “Want to throw something at me? One of those fancy plates on the bookshelf probably cost a fortune.”
She looked past the fireplace to the inlaid bookcases. “I’d rather debate you until you agree with me.” It was how civilized people resolved differences of opinion. But nobody said the immortals were civilized. Least of all the immortals themselves. They seemed just fine with their rather primal status. “We need to discuss the mating.”
Both of his eyebrows rose. She took a very unscientific delight in having surprised him.
His eyelids lowered. “You still want to mate me? After the other day?”
“Yes.” She’d given it a lot of thought, even while working through other problems, and she desired immortality. “I’ve never been a believer in the afterlife, so staying alive holds a certain appeal. Just think of the scientific breakthroughs I could make.” She tried to keep her voice level, but a hint of heat lowered it. “Today notwithstanding, I like you, and you like me. We’re sexually compatible, and my odd gifts might be of benefit to you if you try to enter those hell worlds again.” There. It was a win-win.
“And if I make it back?” he asked. “If the bubble breaks, and nobody has to align the magnets or whatever the hell Quade has been doing, I’ll return and we’ll be mated for eternity.”
An intriguing shiver tickled through her lower half. “I understand.”
“Do you want kids?” he asked.
She blinked. Children? “Yes and no.” It made sense to have this discussion now, of course. Her heart fluttered in a peculiar way. “I’m interested in children, and it’d be satisfying to mold a young mind.” A vision caught her of a little boy with Ivar’s stunning blue eyes and her darker complexion and hair. She shook her head at the sweet thought. “But I’m not what one would call maternal. I don’t know how to nurture a child.”
“I think it comes naturally at the right time,” Ivar said, his tone gentle. “Just look how protective you were of Drake.”
Her heart jumped. He thought she could make a good mother? “In high