Total pages in book: 165
Estimated words: 159487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 797(@200wpm)___ 638(@250wpm)___ 532(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 159487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 797(@200wpm)___ 638(@250wpm)___ 532(@300wpm)
“You have got to be kidding me.”
His expression was composed, but she could see the faintest hint of discomfort in his eyes.
“I’m afraid not.”
“There’s no floor.”
“There is some floor.”
She pointed to the tiny landing where they were standing.
“That is not floor. That is a postage stamp.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
“It means this entire room is basically a bed with walls.”
“That is…not inaccurate,” he admitted grudgingly. “But it’s the only chamber big enough for all three of us.”
Cassie took a deep breath and immediately regretted it because the warm, spicy scent of the room filled her lungs and did absolutely nothing to calm her down.
“So when you said we would all have to share the bed,” she said slowly, “What you meant was that we literally can’t enter the room unless we get into the bed.”
“Yes.”
“And you didn’t think that was worth mentioning?”
“I thought it might alarm you.”
“It does alarm me! I’m alarmed!” she exclaimed.
Because it wasn’t going to be easy to get out of such a huge bed. She’d be trapped in there, between them. What if she wanted to get out and get away quickly if Ravik decided to get frisky with his “mate?” She’d have to scramble to the foot of the bed and try to crawl out which wouldn’t be an easy process, considering all the cushions and blankets.
Speaking of Ravik, she could hear the big Beast Kindred behind her, making a low, pleased sound.
“Good bed,” he said. “Big enough for Cassie and Ravik.”
Cassie turned and pointed a finger at him.
“Do not look so happy about this.”
He immediately tried to look less happy, which was almost worse because now he looked like a huge guilty wolf pretending he hadn’t just eaten an entire ham.
The mental image made her want to laugh but she was afraid the sound might come out sounding hysterical. She asked herself again—was she really going to do this?
Severin cleared his throat.
“If you prefer, Cassandra, you may take one of the smaller rooms and lock the door. I will attempt to keep Ravik calm,” he said.
Ravik growled at once.
“No. Cassie stays. She is my mate—I must warm and protect her.”
The sound vibrated through the warm chamber and made every little hair on Cassie’s body stand up.
Severin’s head turned sharply.
“Ravik, you’ll frighten her! If she wants to leave, you have to let her go.”
Ravik didn’t answer in words. Instead, his massive hands curled into fists at his sides. For a moment, the white film seemed to creep over his golden eyes again, just at the edges. His breathing got heavier and she saw the muscles in his bare shoulders bunch. He wasn’t attacking anyone, but the sudden tension in the air was impossible to miss.
Cassie’s stomach clenched—Severin was right. If she left, Ravik was going to get worse. Because some sick, infected part of his brain—or maybe some healthier, more instinctive part of his Beast Kindred nature—had decided she was the thing that kept him anchored. If she disappeared behind a locked door, taking her scent with her, the fog might swallow him again.
And she didn’t want that—not after he’d saved her life in the Dead Zone.
Damn it, she really was going to have to do this.
She took a cautious step toward Ravik and his gaze snapped to her at once.
“Hey,” she said softly, putting a hand on his arm which was rigid with tension. “It’s okay, big guy. I’m not going anywhere right this minute.”
The Beast Kindred’s breathing slowed a little.
“Cassie stays?” he asked, eyeing her hopefully.
Her heart gave a little twist in her chest.
“For now,” she said. “But we need rules.”
“Rules,” he repeated.
“Yes. Rules. Lots of them.”
Severin looked relieved that she wasn’t backing out, though he wisely did not say so.
“What rules would make you feel safer?” he asked.
Cassie glanced at the enormous bed again and tried not to think about the fact that once they climbed onto it, she was going to be surrounded by two very large Kindred warriors in a room designed specifically for group mating by lizard people.
“Well, for starters, everybody keeps their pants on.”
“Ravik has pants,” Ravik said proudly, as though this was a major accomplishment.
Cassie felt the corners of her mouth quirking up and tried not to laugh.
“Yes, and Cassie appreciates that very much,” she said.
He nodded solemnly.
“Ravik keeps pants on.”
“Good. Also, no tasting,” she said.
The big Beast Kindred’s face fell.
“No tasting?”
“No tasting,” she repeated.
“Not even a little?”
“No.” Cassie kept her voice firm. She never would have dreamed that she’d be in this position—having to forbid a seven-foot-tall warrior from going down on her. It felt like some kind of surreal dream. But then again, she’d never dreamed that she would be on a lizard planet in the middle of a zombie virus outbreak sharing a bunker with two Kindred either. And yet, here she was.
Ravik looked at Severin, as though hoping for a second opinion.