said, hands clamping down on my hips.
“What makes you think I want anything more than sex,” I answered, loosening his tie and first few buttons. I bent my lips to the exposed golden flesh.
He ground into me. “There is no such thing as sex without blood between us. Not until the mating process is complete. In the fourth exchange, you’ll begin the change to Vissimo.”
Whoa, what?
I yanked away. “I change into a vampire by the end?” Fernando did not fucking mention that. Talk about an ice bucket for my lady parts.
“It’s a possibility,” he said carefully. “And rarely done anymore. It’s not your choice, nor is it mine. Even if that doesn’t happen, you’ll exist somewhere between human and Vissimo by the seventh and final swap. So far our exchanges haven’t affected you physically, just mentally. After the fourth exchange, your senses will heighten. With my blood, I expect them to be as strong as those of the weakest of our kind.”
I widened my eyes, though Fernando had told me that part. I just hadn’t known the changes were due to me becoming some kind of human-vampire hybrid.
Kyros frowned.
Shoot, he wasn’t buying my surprise.
“About time I got cool stuff in return,” I said with difficulty. “But the fourth exchange isn’t happening—your father will kill me, Kyros.”
He studied me. “You think I’d let that happen?”
I lifted a shoulder, feeling my sleeve slip further. “He’s strong. He’s in charge.”
Kyros watched my mouth. “Strength means nothing in this negotiation. Only what the clan stands to lose or gain.”
What was he talking about? “You’re confusing me. Why the hell are you telling me all this?”
“Because now I can find you anywhere,” he replied.
His answer was at odds with what he felt. Kyros was lying?
I hugged my torso. “I really hate that you did that to me.”
“I know, my beauty.”
“At least pretend you don’t know what I’m feeling.”
Kyros closed his eyes briefly, grinding into me again. “Feeling what you feel is an incredible gift.”
I leaned forward, kissing his cheek. Shuffling off his lap, I straightened my dress.
“Why did that feel like goodbye?” He stood, and I couldn’t resist peeking at the front of his pants. I felt his amusement and cleared my throat.
Yep, that looked about as big as what I felt grinding against it. Aching stomach material—Kyros was proportional.
“Would you like to look again, true mate?” he asked.
I resisted the urge to stomp my foot. “Don’t call me that. Or vixen or my beauty. And no. One look was enough for any future solo activities.”
His initial look of bewilderment melted into burning lust.
“Oops, look at the time,” I said, snagging my pack off the bed. “We best get up to Level 66 for Ingenium.”
I ripped open the door, almost sorrowful at leaving the empty space despite everything. The bond was so messed up. Yet again, it had me believing there was something else between us.
But there wasn’t.
His dark voice trailed down the stairs after me. “The games won’t be here forever, Basilia. I promise you.”
He promised? Great.
I didn’t believe him.
17
“Lot 91 paperwork is finalized?” I asked the array of men and women on my middle screen—Grandmother’s Churchill team.
The man’s eyes darted from my face to the room around me, and I wondered how much of the underground office he could see.
“Yes, Miss Le Spyre. Everything is in order and the contract will be effective as soon as you add your signature.”
“What’s the name of the alias owner?” Probably best to know who I’d secured the property off when the inevitable questions arose tonight.
A woman flicked through a document. “Mr Barnaby Dwelt.”
“Very well. Current acquisition numbers?”
A man tucked in the far corner shot to his feet. “Acquisition rate has increased by 6 percent in the last week.”
Tommy was one of the differences. She’d thrown herself into her HR position and we had two new realtors from out of town doing the rounds in Bluff City. I was the other difference. Half of the trouble properties I’d approached in the last week had sold to private investors—or so the owners thought. In addition, Tommy’s acquisition team was able to move with greater confidence with my knowledge of where Clan Sundulus planned to target each day.
I shifted my gaze to an open document on my right screen. “How many privately-owned properties remain in Bluff City?”
The tiniest woman I’d ever seen answered. “One thousand, two hundred, and seven.”
So few. I needed most of those houses to be mine.
“Thank you for the update. Our next meeting will be Friday