Bloody hell! When he caught up with the wanker…

Still, the other wizard"s words rang in his head. Kari wasn"t his. He had not Called to her.

Unless he did, she could not Bind to him.

In fact, Ronan had awakened alone this morning, painfully aware that Kari was no longer at his side and could be with another male at any time she chose. The thought alone nearly unleashed his anger and caused him to bring the building down. Entering The Witch"s Brew and seeing her wrapped in Tynan"s arms had made him damn near murderous.

He stormed over to Kari, grabbed her, and sniffed. Thankfully, the scent of the other male drifted only over her clothes and dissipated quickly. She had not shared her body with him. Yet.

“Why did you sneak out of my bed this morning?”

She jerked from his grip and crossed her arms over her the sweet breasts he remembered suckling last night. Ronan winced as the mere thought made him hard again. His whisker burns abraded her neck, and he smelled himself all over her. Tynan had to have noticed.

Then again, the other wizard might not care. Tynan"s magical signature, the aura around him, told Ronan that he was unmated and had not yet Called to a female to make her his. Perhaps the other wizard found Kari as irresistible as he did.

“You got what you wanted.” She raised her chin. “You shagged me, like every other woman. We both know that was it. I saw no reason to linger. I have a life here. Responsibilities.”

“And another magical—” What was the human term? “—boyfriend?”

“Don"t you dare behave as if I matter to you! After last night and this morning, I know perfectly well that I don"t.”

“What the bloody hell are you talking about?”

“Don"t act jealous or pretend you care what I do with Tynan.”

Ronan tensed. What she did with Tynan? His brain instantly conjured visions of the other wizard divesting Kari of her clothes, pressing his lips to the sweet red bow of her mouth, holding her hips as he sank deep inside her. The murderous urge returned, along with another, stronger urge to claim her.

To Call to her.

Foolishly, this morning he"d even gone so far as to scour his uncle"s magical reference books and read the ritual words, which he"d never seen before. He did more than read the words; he memorized them. Ronan couldn"t explain why except that something compelled him.

Calling himself every sort of idiot, he cradled her cheek in his hand, holding firm when she would have pulled away. “I don"t know what gave you the notion I don"t care or that you"re like every other woman. Nothing…” He swallowed. “Nothing could be further from the truth.”

Kari pressed her lips together and closed her eyes, shutting him out. “Don"t. Raiden told me…”

“What?” His eyes narrowed as he contemplated beating the hell out of his twin. “What did he tell you?”

“I"m not special. You take every woman to your room, your bed, then shag them breathless.” She gave a hollow laugh. “The sheets seemed clean, thank goodness. But—”

“That is a lie! I have never taken a woman in my bed. I never wanted any of them in my personal space, never wanted to picture them there. You… I had to have you there. Nowhere else would do.”

Kari squeezed her eyes shut, and tears rolled down her face. Damn it, why wouldn"t she believe him?

“Raiden already told me the truth, please…just—”

“He told you shit!”

Suddenly, Kari twisted away from him and ran toward the back room. He sprinted after her, unable to let her go, at least until he"d convinced her of the truth. Then he if she still wanted him to leave her alone…he"d respect her wishes, even if it ripped his heart to pieces.

Just before she disappeared behind the door marked “Employees Only,” he grabbed her arm. She spun around. Her nose had gone red and tears tracked down her face. And still she looked beautiful to him. His heart lurched at the thought that, in his pursuit to give Kari pleasure, he had caused her pain.

“What do you want? You wanted to shag me. I let you. It"s done.”

“No! You"re more than a fuck. Far more.”

She shook her head. “So what do you want now? To hear that I love you? Will your conquest be incomplete until you rip out my heart completely? Fine. I love you. I"ve loved you for the past six months, at least. Watching you disappear with woman after woman, knowing exactly what you were doing with them… I can"t take it anymore.”

She loved him? No instinct needed, just the simple emotion in her heart. And she trusted it, believed it. Ronan paused. What was in his heart? After nearly a century of numbness, an empty void of a heart, he"d never given his heart much thought. But he did now.

He loved her, too.

Deep in his chest where his heart beat, it beat for her now. The thought of taking another woman to his bed no longer appealed. He wanted to know that her every day and night was his to fill, her body and heart his to love.

Was this his mating instinct? Perhaps the curse was rubbish, prorogated by ancestors who would rather shag their way to the grave than belong to any one woman.

It was possible. He was no longer like his sire, his twin, his uncles… He wanted one woman. Forever.

“Kari—”

“No.” Her voice trembled, and she drew in a deep breath. “I"ll miss your friendship, and I don"t want to turn away your business. But I need time away—”

“I can"t give it.” If “away” meant away from him, no.

He cupped a hand around her neck and pressed his mouth to hers sweetly. She gasped against his lips, then softened against him. Gently, he nudged his way inside and nearly drowned in the sweet, addicting taste of her. He"d never get enough of this, of her.

As he moaned and pressed closer, she broke away.

“Ronan—”

“Become a part of me, as I become a part of you. And ever after, I promise myself to thee. Each day we share, I shall be honest, good, and true. If this you seek, heed my Call. From this moment on, there is no other for me but you.”

There. He"d said it. And inside, he rejoiced.

Kari blinked once, twice. “Are those words…the Call?”

She looked shocked, and his nerves set in. What if she refused?

“Yes. I want you forever.”

“I don"t know what to say.”

Ronan forced down panic. “There are two responses. You either wish to Renounce me or Bind to me. Tell me which, and I will give you the words.”

“I—”

Suddenly, the front door smashed open, splintering into pieces. The winter wind whooshed in, along with a pale, leggy brunette. A witch, based on her magical signature. Dressed in lingerie that looked barely street legal, she was bound to turn heads. Ronan wasn"t interested in the least—especially once he looked into her ruthless gaze.

“I"m Rhea. Good evening.” She drew her wand, her expression hinting at trouble.

“That"s my door!” Kari protested. “You"ll pay to fix it.”

Cursing, Ronan grabbed Kari and put her behind him. Couldn"t she see that, despite her gender and clothing, this witch had something unpleasant on her mind?

Rhea laughed. “How touching. You"ve Called to her and seek to protect her.”

“What do you want?”

“To talk to her.” The witch gestured to Kari. “About something that happened before you arrived.”

“She knows nothing.”

“Say another word, and it will be your last,” the barely-dressed witch threatened. “We"ll see to it.”

We? Ronan turned. Two wizards stood at the back of the bar, blocking Kari"s only other means of escape. They also wore merciless expressions.

Could he alone protect her? He"d always joked that was a lover, not a fighter. At the moment, he wished very much that he"d poured half as much energy into learning to fight as he had into the carnal arts.

Carefully, he slipped his arm around Kari. If nothing else, he could teleport out…

“Take your hand away from her,” Rhea barked. “Let her speak—or else.”

Kari touched his shoulder. “I know nothing. Once she learns that, it will be fine.”

Ronan didn"t like it, but if he couldn"t transport her out of here and she couldn"t run, he certainly wasn"t leaving without her. Maybe they would ask their questions and leave. If not, well…he was holding his wand. He"d save Kari. Somehow.

“What do you wish to know?” she challenged the woman whose outfit could have been a prostitute"s. But her gaze said pure psycho. “A human with sense.” Rhea looked at her as if she was an oddity. “A tall wizard in black leather and sunglasses was here recently.”

“The one called Shock?”

She smiled. “The very one. What did he want?”

Would admitting the truth put Tynan in danger?

“I don"t know exactly.”

The witch raised a skeptical brow, and Kari cursed the fact she was a terrible liar.

“He was here at the same time as Tynan O"Shea.”

“O"Shea?” Ronan muttered behind her. “Related to the Councilman O"Shea?”

“His grandson,” she murmured.

Ronan cursed.

“His grandson who seems to have joined the Doomsday Brethren. Sound familiar?”

asked Rhea.

“No. I merely overhear occasional conversation, but that—”

“Stop prattling. Did Shock and Tynan speak to one another?”

Lie. She had to lie—and well. Tynan"s life may depend on it. So might hers. “I don"t know. I was in the back. Didn"t hear a thing.”

“I don"t believe you. Let"s see if this helps.”

Before she knew what hit her, Rhea raised her wand. An arc of light streamed toward Kari, blinding, green. Dangerous.

She screamed, and Ronan shoved her, but it was too late. The blast hit her in the abdomen. Pain crashed through her system, and she fell to her knees. God, she felt mere breaths from death.

“What did Shock and Tynan discuss?”

Kari opened her mouth…and had no idea what to say. She sensed the truth could get either or both men killed.

From behind her, a hand clamped around her arm. Rhea shouted, her face contorting.

Then he and her pub disappeared. Nausea hit her stomach, and the feeling of floating smacked her with dizziness.

Moments later, she collided with Ronan"s chest as they landed on a soft sofa.

The pain slammed her again, stealing her breath, threatening her consciousness.

“Stay with me,” he pleaded.

“Where are we?”

If he heard her slurred words, he didn"t comment. “The home of a magical healer. He will help you. Don"t give up.”

She was sweating and suddenly very cold. It took every ounce of her energy to shake her head. “Won"t.”

Ronan held her on his lap. Kari sensed he wanted to grasp her tightly but knew it would cause her pain. Feeling him against her was comforting.

“Will I die?”

“No.” He spoke with the conviction of a vow, not any real knowledge, she sensed.

“But you must promise me one thing,” he said. “Do not Bind to me. Ever.”

CHAPTER SIX

The next four days nearly killed Ronan. He stayed by Kari"s side for the first two, holding her as the healer worked her slow magic, ensuring his beloved would live. The bitch who had attacked her at The Witch"s Brew had blasted her with some sick magic he"d never seen before. If Ronan hadn"t pushed her out of the way, her attacker might have succeeded in killing her.

And he didn"t have to guess if her near-death experience was because he had Called to her. He had no doubt. By tempting fate and the curse, he had unleashed this on Kari. For his impulsive and selfish need to have her always, she"d nearly paid with her life.

Never would he put her in that position again.

Ronan would love to simply explain the curse, help her to see that no matter what he felt, they were doomed. But would she believe him? As bizarre as it was, why would she? Likely, Kari would see it as a fabrication designed to end their relationship. She"d think he had cold feet.

Bloody hell.

He"d been relieved when the healer had proclaimed Kari well, ending days of nail-biting fear. He"d reluctantly returned her to the pub—only because she insisted. He"d wanted to place protections around the Brew, but they would keep anyone magical out…and seriously infuriate her. But he would do his best to ensure she remained safe.

To that end, he paid a visit to a former lover, now mated to another. Swallowing his pride to ask Avalyn for a favor had rankled. Once, she"d fancied herself in love with him, and Ronan was ashamed to admit that in his youth, he had taken advantage of that. He rejoiced that she was now happily settled with a good wizard.

Thankfully, Avalyn found the irony in Ronan"s request and acceded. Long out of love with him, she was a strong witch who"d grown up around the fringes of dark magic. If anyone would watch over Kari until the threat passed, it was Avalyn.