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  “Well sure—just think about it. Girl on a vacation is kidnapped by bad aliens. Girl gets taken away and…” Elise swallowed hard and shook her head. “Anyway, she manages to escape, only to trap herself in a stasis tube. Which she’s rescued from by the good guy and—”

  “The good guy?” Merrick interrupted. “Me?”

  “Sure.” Elise nodded. “You found me. You saved me. You protected me, comforted me…of course you’re the good guy.”

  “Okay, sure. I guess.” He shrugged and laughed uneasily. “Just to let you know, that’s not a name I’ve ever been called. Not with a past like mine.”

  “I don’t care about the past,” Elise burst out, surprising him with her sudden passion. “I only care about the future. Merrick…” She leaned toward him, her brown eyes earnest. “I…I don’t want to go back. Not if it means leaving you.”

  “Elise…baby…” His heart knotted in his chest.

  “I mean I know that sounds stupid,” she rushed on. “We haven’t even known each other that long. I don’t know your last name or where you come from or even what kind of Kindred you are…”

  “Hybrid,” he said hoarsely. “I’m a hybrid. Half Blood, half Beast. And I was raised on Tranq Prime but I got outta that fucking hell hole as fast as I could.”

  She gave him a trembling smile. “I feel the same way about Portland. Portland, Oregon—that’s where I was raised. That’s why I moved way across the country to Florida. I like it a lot better there.”

  “But not enough to go back to it?” Merrick raised an eyebrow at her. He was trying to stay calm, to keep things in perspective. But damn if his stomach wasn’t clenched like a fist and his heart pumping overtime as Elise confessed how she felt.

  “Not…not without you.” She shook her head. “I know I sound stupid and desperate and believe me, this is not like me. I’m tough—I’m the one they bring in on the worst trials to scare the defense, to make those slime ball child molesters and abusers confess or run for cover.”

  Merrick smiled. “You’re so tiny. I can’t imagine you being very scary.”

  She lifted her chin. “Just because I don’t look scary on the outside doesn’t mean I’m not frightening as hell on the inside, you know.”

  “I bet.” He nodded, admiring her spirit. She was really going out on a limb here, admitting how she felt about him. Telling him she didn’t want them to be parted.

  “But when I’m around you…” Elise shook her head. “I can’t explain it. I can’t even understand it. But I…I need you, Merrick. I feel like there’s something between us.” She looked down at their clasped hands, his large fingers entwined with her much smaller ones. “I feel like such a fool telling you this—”

  “Don’t.” He scooped her out of bed suddenly and held her close to his chest. “I feel it too, baby. I don’t know what it is but it’s there.”

  “Oh, thank God.” She put her arms around his neck and pressed her face to the hollow of his throat. “I’m so glad. I thought you didn’t feel the same.”

  “I shouldn’t,” Merrick said roughly. “But Goddess damn it, I can’t seem to help it. I don’t know why.”

  “I don’t either.” She nuzzled against him, breathing deeply. “God, you smell good.”

  “You smell pretty damn delicious yourself,” Merrick murmured. Her scent was fresh and delicate and devastatingly feminine. It filled his senses and went straight to the throbbing shaft between his thighs. Gods, but he wanted this little female. Wanted to possess her and never let her go. If he hadn’t been a hybrid he almost would have thought he was forming some sort of a bond with her. Of course, that was impossible. And they weren’t dream sharing or anything. So why—

  “Elise? Oh, excuse me.” Olivia started to back out of the room but Merrick stopped her with a shake of his head.

  “It’s okay. Is there a problem?”

  “No, it’s just…there’s a call in the viewing room for Elise.”

  “A call?” Elise sat up frowning. “From who? My boss? Is he upset?”

  Olivia shook her head. “No, we contacted your employers soon after we brought you aboard and found out who you were. They know that you’ll be out for awhile. But this man…well…” She bit her lip uncertainly.

  “What man?” Merrick felt the short hairs on the back of his neck rise and a low, possessive growl built in his throat.

  “He says…” Olivia looked at Elise, her gray eyes troubled. “Well, he says he’s your fiancée.” THE END

  Epilogue

  Draven made himself comfortable on the lush, Strovian mink lined couch, enjoying the feel of its soft fur tickling his skin. He took pleasure in sensual comforts and wasn’t ashamed to admit it. The couch, for instance, had come from a planet his people had despoiled over a thousand years ago—yet it was still soft and supple. Still perfectly delightful to sit on and he should know—he’d spent the last half millennium here, gathering strength. Trying to heal from the nearly fatal wounds that Kindred bastard, Kall had given him. He’d only recently awakened from his healing sleep and he was not happy.

  The hand stroking the couch curled into a fist but there was no change in his expression. His odd silver eyes, like two blank coins, stared straight ahead as though he was deep in thought…or lost in madness.

  Suddenly there was a timid rapping at his outer sanctum door.

  “Come,” Draven said, using the pain speech which inflicted agony on anyone who heard it. He didn’t know who was on the other side of the door and he didn’t care. It was his pleasure to give pain to whomever he wished. And it had been a long time since he had taken that pleasure.

  The door opened and an imp, one of the lowest of the Shmeel tribe, stepped inside. “Your pardon, Master,” it squeaked, rubbing its dirty grey claws together nervously. “But the prisoner is here.”

  “Is he? Excellent—bring him in.”

  The imp winced as the words sliced its mottled greyish skin and black blood flowed sluggishly from the wounds. It was wise enough, however, not to say anything. It only bowed and opened the door wider. “Come,” it said, nodding at those who were waiting in the hallway. “The master says bring him in.”

  Two burly trolls of the Xa tribe dragged a tall, lanky male with white blond hair into the room. He was wearing the traditional clothing of Tranq Prime, Draven noted—a purple furred tharp and boots to match. They made quite a contrast with the prisoner’s pale skin.

  “What are you doing? Take your filthy paws off me,” the male demanded angrily. “I am a Licklow of the largest grotto on Tranq Prime. Release me at once.”

  “We release you…if Master says. Not before,” growled one of the trolls. The other simply champed its tusks menacingly, drool running down its beefy chin to fall on its bare chest.

  Draven made a motion to the trolls. “You heard our guest—he wishes to be released. Do so at once.”

  “Master says, we obey.” The trolls let go of the prisoner at the same time but since they’d been holding him about a foot off the ground, he fell in a heap at Draven’s feet. He got up at once, dusting himself off and glaring at Draven.

  “I don’t know who you think you are but I am very displeased by my treatment here.”

  “I’m so very sorry!” Draven exclaimed. “You must forgive my subordinates—the undertribes are so crude. You there,” he said, directing his attention to the already wounded imp. “Get our guest a drink at once.”

  The imp winced as more wounds opened on its filthy hide and scuttled to do Draven’s bidding. It poured a stream of blood-colored wine into a jewel encrusted cup and ran to offer it to the prisoner. He took it gingerly, Draven noted, making sure not to touch the imp’s skin, and sniffed suspiciously before taking a sip.

  “It’s good, is it not?” Draven smiled charmingly. “Pressed from the grape over a thousand years ago. An excellent vintage and well aged. I, on the other hand, am going to have quite a different libation.”

  Rising, he took his own cup, the twin of the