Escape. Her mind whirled with possibilities. Like how the heck did she get out of

Norway and to an airport? She didn’t even have any money on her.

“We need to discuss what will occur at the next new moon.” The thought she’d been

having came to an abrupt stop in her head. Her eyes slammed open and her back dug into the door to try to get away from him.

“You can’t...we can’t,” she said, shaking her head to clear it. “No way,” she said finally.

The commander turned around and marched away. She took a deep breath; it was as if he sucked up all the air in the room with his presence. Now she could breathe but it didn’t smell as delicious as it did when he was near.

She tightened her grip on the towel to keep it from sliding down and embarrassing the hell out of her while she slowly, quietly slipped her free hand behind her. Her heart was beating so hard and fast, she prayed he couldn’t hear it. Could vampires hear such things? She reached, searching for the door handle.

“Something must be done. I am sure you are aware of the changes that you will go

through at the new moon.”

Chloe glared at him. He knew just the right things to say to piss her off. “I am a succubus, of course I know. Better than you, I’m sure,” she said without hiding the sarcasm in her voice.

“And I am not doing that with you,” she added for good measure.

He brought those eyes back to her, seemingly assessing everything about her. From the red nail polish on her toes to the not-perfectly-thin figure she sported. She clutched the towel tighter around her and did what she knew Willow would do. She glared at him with a look that clearly said fuck you.

“That is more than acceptable to me. I am sure you can find any number of willing males around the castle for your time of need. I’d recommend one of my closest guards because I sincerely trust them. If they do not meet your standards perhaps one of the other Atal Warriors that reside below the castle. Please feel free to ask any of them. I shall not announce it to them in order to spare your privacy.”

Chloe thought his proclamation might be sweet if he didn’t say it with a tone that

bordered on arctic. Though she couldn’t help but think that he was acting as her pimp with the suggestion. Bastard. Handsome bastard with a nasty scar that kept drawing her gaze. What was the story behind it? Every scar had a story, no matter how simple. Never mind, it didn’t matter.

She was getting the hell out of here.

“I’m rather tired. I’d like to go now.” That is if I even get my own room. She swore that if he tried to put her in his own bed, he was going to lose his balls by the end of the night.

He gave a clipped nod then strode towards her. Her heart kicked up again. If she plastered herself any more thoroughly against the door, she’d carve herself into it. Whatever she thought he was going to do, it wasn’t to reach behind her and grab the door handle. His hand touched hers, which had curled tightly around the brass. She squealed, jumping at his unexpected touch.

The action sent a series of events into motion.

Chloe jerked her hand away from the shocking, scalding heat of his hand. The quick

motion dislodged the knot of her towel and sent the scrap of cloth fluttering to a pool around her naked feet. As her wide-eyes shot to his, she bent forward to try to cover her nakedness. The commander, Tyrian en Kulev’s expression was something she would never, ever forget.

The cool, indifferent blue of his eyes ran quickly over her nipples, stomach, and sex.

Those ice blue eyes widened a fraction, flared, and burned her with the intensity of their heat.

Chloe gasped in a mix of surprise and pleasure. Stupidly she wondered if the commander had any idea how...seductive, intoxicating, sexy, he looked right now.

The bloom of heat that unfurled from inside her couldn’t be stopped, nor could the

thought of him taking her into his arms and kissing her. Do it, she pleaded silently to his downcast eyes. How did he make her go so quickly from wanting escape to wanting to be in his arms?

He blinked and took one hard step back. The spell broke like glass shattering. He didn’t meet her eyes, but pulled down the door handle and opened it. It was as if the moment never happened.

“Draven,” he called out. A second later, a tall warrior appeared at the door. His eyes instantly hit hers and a grin spread across his face as his eyes trailed down her body in a purely masculine sweep. None of his look had the intensity that Tyrian’s had, nor did it warm her body in hot anticipation. She recognized the warrior as one she’d punched solidly, twice, in the face before he captured her.

Before she had a chance to move, Tyrian flashed before her, picking up the towel and wrapping it around her. She had only a brief glance, but it was enough to see the anger in his eyes. At her or at the warrior? Another flare of heat sparked inside her, warming her blood like hot syrup.

The warrior named Draven nodded at her and, at Tyrian’s orders, led her to her room.

Chloe ached to look back at the commander, which was silly and all kinds of stupid. She was...attracted to him. Literally, the absolute last thing she’d expected when she learned she was his. A warmth washed over her back. Was he watching her right now as his guard led her away?

Surprisingly, insanely, the thought of spending her new moon with the commander was not unpleasant. Chloe followed the guard and wondered what her sisters would do in this situation.

Willow stepped off the train, tucked her chin to her chest, and kept walking. It didn’t take long for her to feel that same presence behind her as if she was being watched—or followed.

How was that possible? He couldn’t be here already. She barely resisted the urge to turn her head around and scan the area for anyone suspicious. She found herself starting to turn but snapped her head forward. She would not give in to this man in any way. It was a man, too.

She’d felt his masculine presence ever since she’d left London.

She’d even gone so far as to randomly get off at some stop in the west of France only to hop onto another train that would take her into Spain where she was now. Yet that presence was still behind her.

She’d discreetly checked the train cars around her, eyeing people in the seats but saw no one taking particular notice of her Either she was paranoid, which considering her nerves right now, was a definite possibility, or he was already here. But how could that be?

Was the Alpha, Lyonis Keelan, here? Tracking her like a runaway pup or, in this case, his runaway woman? Her hands tightened around the backpack straps over her shoulders. She barely resisted the urge to turn around and scream I’ll never be your woman, beast!

She was a grown woman living in the year 2011. This was not the dark ages. These were not like the old times that many succubi still lived by. Her life did not belong to a man; she would never be owned by a man. She’d rather die first than lose herself. Lyonis Keelan would have to find his mate elsewhere.

Finally giving in to the temptation, she darted a glance behind her. Early morning light crept in through the windows of the train station, lighting the place up in a happy orange glow that did nothing to improve her mood. People bustled about, getting on and off trains with luggage and backpacks. The smell of freshly brewed coffee and the bitter tinge of cigarette smoke floated by her nostrils.

She saw no man following her. What did the Alpha of all shapeshifters look like anyway?

She had no clue. Big, skinny, tall, short. It could be anyone and no one. The chances of him somehow finding her were incredibly small, yet that nagging feeling wouldn’t leave the back of her neck. It had her constantly searching faces, always wanting to glance back. Logic told her he had no idea she’d gone to London or was now wandering around in Spain.