background.
“No!” she yelled. “I did not say I love his testicles—would you stop listening in? Go do some laundry or warm up some blood for my lunch.” She returned to the conversation. “Sorry. I swear, that man is over a thousand years old, but still acts like he’s five.”
If only I had a mate, that could be my life. I dare to dream .
“I have to go, Andrus, but Matty and I will come see you soon. She misses you.”
“I must go now.”
“Please promise you’ll at least think about it?” she asked.
“I will reconsider.”
“Good. Because the Andrus I know never ran away from anything. Not even Cimil.”
Grrrrr. She knew that would push his damned buttons.
“Hey, man.” Zac’s voice came through the speaker. He’d been on the line listening in the entire time. “I’ll text you Sadie’s address. Cimil recommends you keep it in your pants from now on.”
“I didn’t agree to—”
“Hey, you’re preaching to the choir, Andrus. I think staying single for eternity is the way to go. I mean, there are only so many immortals out there and millions of humans to play with. I bet that little Matty won’t mind spreading the love around once she’s all grown up and mateless.”
Andrus instantly felt enraged. The thought of men, lots of them, laying their hands on her made him furious. “You’re an asshole, Zac.”
“Did it work?”
“Yes. Text the address, please.” The moment he said those words, he experienced an odd little glow in his heart. And perhaps a bit lower, too. He actually felt excited to see Sadie again?
Crap. I must be losing my mind. But that kiss, he now realized, had been replaying in the back of his mind. It had felt oddly arousing. No, it’s simply been too long since you’ve bedded a woman. This is all.
Yes, that had to be it. However, just to be sure, perhaps he should kiss her again?
No, you idiot. You should not. You are to meet this…mate woman.
Two hours later— Damned L.A. traffic!— Andrus pulled up to a dingy, pea-green apartment complex in Hollywood. For clarification purposes, it was not a nice neighborhood. One could practically smell the malevolence and human decay in the air.
Parked on the street out front, he grabbed his sword, strapped it to his back, and threw on his leather duster. Unfortunately, it was hotter than hell today, but cooking was far better than being unprepared.
He exited the vehicle and made the usual sweep of the surrounding area with his eyes. Late model cars lined the street, and the neighborhood was densely packed with run-down apartment buildings and an Indian restaurant. Garbage littered the sidewalks, and some unruly sorts hung out on the corner in front of a liquor store. They were trying to be casual about it, but the men seemed very interested in his vehicle.
Andrus shot them all a look, using his eyes to send a clear message. Touch the car, you die. The men scattered with the stench-filled wind.
This is where she lives? It was no place for a single woman, let alone anyone unarmed. Or not of the rat species.
He made his way to the side of the building, stepping over a man who’d decided to take a nap with his empty gin bottle in the middle of the stairs. Suddenly, he scented something unusual in the air, and it wasn’t the drunk’s urine-stained pants or the burning curry coming from the restaurant next door.
When he found apartment 2E toward the end of the hall, the strange scent became stronger.
“Sadie?” He knocked on the pea-green, graffiti-covered door. Several long moments passed, but she didn’t answer. “Sadie, it’s Andrus.” Obviously, you idiot. Not like the woman forgot your manly voice in the space of a few hours.
He gave the door one more knock, debating if he should come again later; however, something—that strange scent perhaps—made him feel uneasy. He tried the door and found it unlocked.
He pushed it open, gripping the handle of his sword behind his neck. Sadie sat in the
“No!” she yelled. “I did not say I love his testicles—would you stop listening in? Go do some laundry or warm up some blood for my lunch.” She returned to the conversation. “Sorry. I swear, that man is over a thousand years old, but still acts like he’s five.”
If only I had a mate, that could be my life. I dare to dream .
“I have to go, Andrus, but Matty and I will come see you soon. She misses you.”
“I must go now.”
“Please promise you’ll at least think about it?” she asked.
“I will reconsider.”
“Good. Because the Andrus I know never ran away from anything. Not even Cimil.”
Grrrrr. She knew that would push his damned buttons.
“Hey, man.” Zac’s voice came through the speaker. He’d been on the line listening in the entire time. “I’ll text you Sadie’s address. Cimil recommends you keep it in your pants from now on.”
“I didn’t agree to—”
“Hey, you’re preaching to the choir, Andrus. I think staying single for eternity is the way to go. I mean, there are only so many immortals out there and millions of humans to play with. I bet that little Matty won’t mind spreading the love around once she’s all grown up and mateless.”
Andrus instantly felt enraged. The thought of men, lots of them, laying their hands on her made him furious. “You’re an asshole, Zac.”
“Did it work?”
“Yes. Text the address, please.” The moment he said those words, he experienced an odd little glow in his heart. And perhaps a bit lower, too. He actually felt excited to see Sadie again?
Crap. I must be losing my mind. But that kiss, he now realized, had been replaying in the back of his mind. It had felt oddly arousing. No, it’s simply been too long since you’ve bedded a woman. This is all.
Yes, that had to be it. However, just to be sure, perhaps he should kiss her again?
No, you idiot. You should not. You are to meet this…mate woman.
Two hours later— Damned L.A. traffic!— Andrus pulled up to a dingy, pea-green apartment complex in Hollywood. For clarification purposes, it was not a nice neighborhood. One could practically smell the malevolence and human decay in the air.
Parked on the street out front, he grabbed his sword, strapped it to his back, and threw on his leather duster. Unfortunately, it was hotter than hell today, but cooking was far better than being unprepared.
He exited the vehicle and made the usual sweep of the surrounding area with his eyes. Late model cars lined the street, and the neighborhood was densely packed with run-down apartment buildings and an Indian restaurant. Garbage littered the sidewalks, and some unruly sorts hung out on the corner in front of a liquor store. They were trying to be casual about it, but the men seemed very interested in his vehicle.
Andrus shot them all a look, using his eyes to send a clear message. Touch the car, you die. The men scattered with the stench-filled wind.
This is where she lives? It was no place for a single woman, let alone anyone unarmed. Or not of the rat species.
He made his way to the side of the building, stepping over a man who’d decided to take a nap with his empty gin bottle in the middle of the stairs. Suddenly, he scented something unusual in the air, and it wasn’t the drunk’s urine-stained pants or the burning curry coming from the restaurant next door.
When he found apartment 2E toward the end of the hall, the strange scent became stronger.
“Sadie?” He knocked on the pea-green, graffiti-covered door. Several long moments passed, but she didn’t answer. “Sadie, it’s Andrus.” Obviously, you idiot. Not like the woman forgot your manly voice in the space of a few hours.
He gave the door one more knock, debating if he should come again later; however, something—that strange scent perhaps—made him feel uneasy. He tried the door and found it unlocked.
He pushed it open, gripping the handle of his sword behind his neck. Sadie sat in the
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