Page 78 of Ryder’s Storm

“No, he’s a witch.”

“A wiccan?”

“No, a true witch, with amazing powers. You met his brother-in-law down in the medical center, Luther. Luther is blood-bonded to Wesley’s sister, and he divides his time between Scanguards and the vampire prison in the Sierra Nevada.”

Scarlet cast him a quizzical look. “So you really do punish vampires when they hurt people?”

“We do. We can’t allow them to destroy the life Scanguards has built for all of us.”

“Then you didn’t lie when you said that Scanguards has a contract to look after the sex workers in San Francisco.”

“It’s only partially true,” Ryder said. “I’m sorry, I could only tell you part of it. But the truth is that any crime involving a vampire, witch, hybrid, or any other preternatural creature is investigated by Scanguards, not the police department. That’s the deal we have with the mayor’s office.”

“So the mayor knows.” She shook her head in disbelief.

“And a few other people in the police department.”

“You really don’t hurt people… you protect them…”

There was a hopeful shimmer in Scarlet’s eyes, and Ryder’s heart skipped a beat. Was she coming around to accepting him?

“No, we don’t hurt people.” He stepped a little closer, very slowly, testing if Scarlet would let him approach. She didn’t move, but stayed where she was, even when he took two more steps. “When Wesley interrupted us, I was trying to tell you about the bite.”

Her lips parted, and a breath rushed from her mouth. “Yes, the bite.”

“The bite is not just a way for a vampire to feed and get the nourishment he needs, it’s also a way to intensify sexual pleasure. Blood-bonded couples engage in it almost daily, like my parents…”

“But they’re both vampires.”

“Even vampires drink each other’s blood. It creates a high in both the vampire who bites, and the one who gets bitten.”

He noticed how Scarlet’s chest rose, and how her nipples were pressing through her T-shirt. He couldn’t take his eyes off the erotic sight that made blood rush to his groin.

“Ryder,” she murmured.

“Yes?”

“Is there anything else you haven’t told me yet? Any other secrets you haven’t shared with me?”

“There are two more things I haven’t told you yet.” He took a breath. “The night we met in the nightclub and had sex, I only had one cock.”

She reared back. “What? That’s not possible! That makes no sense. Two days later you had two. I can’t believe—”

He put a finger to her lips. “Please, let me explain. A satyr is born with one fully functioning cock, and a mass of flesh and skin, a deformity of sorts, an inch or so above it. It’s grotesque, and something I never wanted to show any woman. But there’s no way around it. Only after a satyr has sex with his intended mate for the first time, the deformity grows into a second fully functioning cock within twenty-four hours. I had sex with you that night. Nobody else. And a day later, I had a second cock.”

He paused to let the implications of his words sink in.

Her eyes widened. “Is that the second thing you haven’t told me? That I’m supposed to be your intended mate?”

“You are, but there’s something else I still need to tell you.” In fact, it was the most important thing of all.

“What is it?”

He filled his lungs with air. “I love you, Scarlet, and if you will have me, I will do everything in my power to protect you and make you happy.” He dropped his gaze, so he could continue what he had to say. “But if you don’t feel the same for me, I will let you go so you can live the life you want for yourself. You are my intended mate, but you have free will. If you don’t love me—”

Scarlet pulled in an audible breath. “Can you take me home now?”

Ryder’s heart stopped. Scarlet didn’t want him. She couldn’t accept who he really was. But he’d made her a promise, and he was a man of his word. Even though this would break his heart.