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. ”