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"What makes Svartans so special, and is it just their men?" Leading me out into the kitchen, Chase retrieved two bottles of mineral water from the refrigerator and twisted the cap off of one and handed it to me, then opened the other for himself. "I asked Camille once, but she brushed me off. I got the distinct impression she thought I was trying to compete with Mr. Suave, there."
I leaned against the counter, sipping the San Pellegrino. The bubbles tickled my nose, and I sneezed. "It's not just the men. The entire Svartan race possesses an innate sexual magnetism. When you actually have sex with one of them, the bond forged is harder to break than any contract humans could ever think up. Camille belongs to Trillian—they're bound by magic so strong that I doubt if anything except death could break it."
"You mean, they're linked on a magical level that also happens to be sexual," Chase said.
"Precisely. When she ran from him, the separation drove him crazy, and it almost tore her apart. Normally, Trillian should be able to break the bond and walk away."
"Then why doesn't he? Does he love her?"
I shrugged. "Hard to tell. But I don't think he can leave. I think that there's something about her—maybe the combination of her Moon magic and her blood turned the tables. Trillian's as hooked on her as she is on him. I can just about guarantee that he'll never let her go again." I could tell that Chase was trying to wrap his head around the whole mess, but it was a struggle. "Why do you care so much?"
"Because I want to know, so just tell me."
"Why? What could it possibly matter to you how Trillian looks at Camille?" The thought that I was playing substitute crossed my mind, and I didn't like it.
But Chase put that worry to rest. "Because she's your sister, Delilah, and she matters to you, so she matters to me. The same with Menolly, though I don't even pretend to be comfortable with the fact that she's a vampire. But I'm trying. I'm trying to understand your world, and that includes everything that touches it. I'm doing my best to fit into your life."
Taken aback, I stared at the bottle in my hand. That was an answer I hadn't expected.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound abrupt." I reached out and gently touched his arm. He gave me a long look, and I smiled. "I guess I'm just touchy. Okay, here's the thing. Trillian's an odd duck for a Svartan. He doesn't play by the rules, and he's done a lot of nasty things in his lifetime. But when it comes to Camille, he melts. He doesn't seem to care about her mixed bloodline, which is really strange, considering how elite the Svartans consider themselves. I guess he really does love her. And love isn't a word that applies to many Svartans."
Chase chewed on his lower lip. "It sounds like the Fae connect on a sexual level in a way that humans don't fully understand." He took on a pensive look. "What about you? Do you miss… being with your own kind?"
So that's what this was all about. Chase was fishing to find out whether I wanted to sleep with someone from Otherworld.
Someone not human. Which meant he really did care about me. Otherwise, it wouldn't matter.
When I thought about my reaction to Zachary, it occurred to me that perhaps Chase had a right to be worried. Shit, I so didn't want to think about all this today. I wanted to just shake it all off and say, "Relax! Does it have to be so complicated?" but I knew Chase would never go for that spiel. He wanted answers. The question was, would it matter to him what those answers turned out to be?
Frustrated, I tried to dodge the inevitable.
"Sex is a powerhouse of energy for the Fae. But when you talk about Svartans, it goes deeper than that. Sex is part of their very essence, and anybody they sleep with is in danger of becoming hooked. Camille willingly bound herself to the addiction. It suits her nature. It wouldn't work for me or Menolly. Then again, we have our own quirks when it comes to the bedroom."
I hadn't told Chase that I had sex with tomcats when I was in Were form. Somehow, I didn't think he was ready to hear that yet. As for Menolly, neither Camille nor I knew how she satisfied herself now that she was a vampire. I wasn't sure I wanted to know. The answer might scare the hell out of me.
I paused, then softly said, "Chase, you know I'm new to sex. You know I haven't slept with my father's kind yet. That may happen, and probably will. But for now, I'm with you. For now, I'm happy with that fact. I can't promise to be a one-man woman. Not yet. But I can promise that I'm being honest when I say I love being with you. You're a good man, and sexy, and I enjoy what we have together."
He grunted. The conversation had run its course.
"So, how do I get the varmint out of my house without getting skewered?" he said. "He makes me nervous."
"You could help him find an apartment. Trillian's brilliant, but he has no idea how to look for a place that both suits his needs and his coffers."
Chase snorted. "I love it when you talk all archaic, woman. Coffers; I haven't heard that in years. But you're probably right, though I don't know about the brilliant part. I'll get a copy of the classifieds and help him look. Maybe I can get him out of here in short order. Since he's Svartan, he can damned well turn on that charm and convince potential landlords to lower the rent."
I started to say, "What are you thinking?" but then shut my mouth. Chase and Trillian would be much happier when they ended the roommate shtick.
"I'd better get home," I said, looking at the clock. "And aren't you due back on duty soon. Detective?"
He flashed me a guilty grin. "Yeah, but it's been slow lately. Everyone's behaving themselves as far as I know. I'll run those names through the computer and give you a call later tonight when I see what I come up with. Oh—and what's your friend's name again? And her number? For the medics?"
"Siobhan Morgan. Her number is 555-7325."
He wrote it down. "Siobhan, that's right. I'll have one of the OIA medics give her a call and see if they can help her out." He kissed me gently on the forehead, then pulled me to him and full-on Frenched me.
After I came up for air, he walked me to the parking lot. The snow was starting to fall in earnest. I shivered. Winter was a harsh season, following the frozen lacework of frost trailing from the Autumn Lord's wake. I glanced at the ground, which was covered with a thin layer of white.
"I wonder how long this will keep up," Chase said.
