She glanced down. Blood had spilled onto her chest. It wasn’t a lot but enough that it ran over his hand on her stomach and even to her thighs. The bright red was a drastic contrast against her pale skin.

She looked back at him and licked her lips. They were coated with blood. “I’m okay.”

One tear fell, sliding down his cheek. “I planned how to bond to a mate most of my life. I worked it out in my head so it would be sexy and not traumatic. Then I just totally lost control and my Lycan side took over. It was this overpowering desire I couldn’t suppress to make you accept my blood. I fucked this up so bad! Please don’t hate me.”

“It’s okay, Lavos.” She was more worried about him than about what had just happened. She reached up, cupping the side of his face she could reach. “I’m fine.”

He closed his eyes.

“Hey, look at me.”

He opened them back up. The neon had faded but the tears remained.

“It’s just a little blood. It washes off.” She forced a smile, trying to use her sense of humor. It always came in handy in tough situations. “I could never hate you. I knew what you were before we did this, and while a heads-up about the sharing blood would have been nice beforehand, nobody died.” She actually laughed. “That’s a bonus, right?”

“You’re amazing.” He rested his forehead against hers. “You forgive me?”

“We’re good.” Then it hit her. “We’re mated, aren’t we?”

All the tension eased from his face and he smiled. “Yes. You’re my mate, Jadee. No doubt about it.”

“Okay.” She glanced down her front. She was mated to a guy who was part Vampire and Werewolf. Some blood being spilled should have been expected. “We should probably take a shower, and then you can tell me all about mates.”

He leaned in and brushed his mouth over hers. It was probably the weirdest kiss she’d ever received, since his lips were bloody too. “I’m going to make you happy. This will be great.”

“I hope so. You said we can’t get divorced.”

He suddenly tensed and anger narrowed his eyes. “We won’t.”

“I was teasing.”

“It’s not that. It just hit me that a nest of Vampires wants you dead. They’re after my mate.” He growled. “I’ll kill them all.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “Feeling a little overprotective?”

“You have no idea. Nobody is ever going to hurt you.”

“Okay. Take a deep breath. We’re in Alaska. I think I’m safe.”

“I have to tell my brother we’re mated.” His voice deepened into a snarl. “This clan will accept you or we’ll leave tonight. I won’t permit you to be in danger. I’ll kill anyone who even thinks about doing you harm.”

She wiggled in his arms and he released her. She sat up, carefully unlinking their bodies where they were still intimately joined. She turned, facing him on her knees. “This is new to us both. Come on.” She extended her hand. “We need a shower. Maybe some food too. Lots of deep breaths for us both.”

He took her hand but he tugged her back when she tried to climb off the bed, drawing her full attention. His expression appeared grave.

“I’m going to be the best mate to you, Jadee. You’re everything to me. I want you to know that. No one is more important to me than you are. Nothing is.”

She stared into his eyes and realized he meant every word. Her life had changed forever. She tried to judge how she felt about that. Staring at Lavos helped. She was with him and they were going to face whatever their future held together. She decided to be brutally honest.

“I think I’m falling in love with you.”

He grinned. “I’ve already fallen for you. I’ll help you catch up.”

Her gaze traveled down his body, ignoring the blood. He still looked super-hot. “I don’t think you’ll have to try too hard. You’re irresistible.”

“So are you.”

“Let’s shower. You’re hot. Blood is not.”

“We’re going to share blood often.”

“That’s not a selling point.”

He grinned. “I won’t mess it up next time. You’ll enjoy it.”

“I think you could make me like anything if you set your mind to it.”

“I’m motivated.”

Lavos led Jadee into his bathroom and turned on the water. Regret over losing his mind surfaced again but the gorgeous woman who stepped under the hot water in front of him had accepted his apology.

He’d been warned how his instincts would burst to life when he found his mate. He’d thought he’d be prepared for it but when he’d gotten a taste of Jadee’s blood, he hadn’t been able to think. The Lycan side of him had taken over completely. Mine! Bond us now! Then he’d realized what he’d done when he calmed enough after she’d drank some of his blood.

After he’d forced her to.

He would make it up to his mate. He grabbed body wash and squeezed some into his hands, gently washing the blood off her chest and throat as she ducked her face under the spray to rinse off her chin and lips. He just wanted to touch her all over and his dick hardened. He could fuck her for days, weeks, and want nothing but her. Forget food and everything else. It was part of finding his mate. She was human though. He needed to remember that.

She needed food and rest between bouts of sex. He ran his hands over her breasts again, loving how her nipples hardened. He lowered his fingers to her stomach, imagining when she would be ovulating. He’d fuck her until his seed took. He wanted to see her pregnant with his child. He hadn’t ever had a desire to become a father but that changed the moment he knew Jadee was his. He closed his eyes and just held her, trying to get a handle on his raging emotions.

“Are you okay?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“You look ready to kill something. Still upset about the Vampires?”

He opened his eyes. “I’m having Lycan issues right now.”

She turned in his arms, her hands bracing his shoulders. She glanced down at his stiff cock pressed against her belly, then lifted her chin. She smiled. “A constant hard-on doesn’t seem like an issue.”

“All these instincts are hitting me. I’m trying to be rational.”