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He blinked and she almost grinned at his befuddled face. If, and that was a big if, she was in 1890, no doubt there was still some old-fashioned belief in the preciousness of virginity and all that nonsense. Yesenia wasn't a virgin, and as long as she could prevent against pregnancy, she didn't care about sleeping with the handsome male once, especially since paranormals didn't have to worry about STDs like humans.
The experience might even give her a glimpse of what sex with a vampire would be like in the future, to better prepare her for if she got back home to Derek.
The bite, on the other hand, would be harder to endure. Past what she imagined was the initial pain and undeniable intimacy of having another person suck at her neck, other vampires and shifters would be able to see Leo's claim mark on her neck. And she had no idea how Derek would react to the development.
But it was the only real chance she had of getting home. Even if it were London in 2022, Yesenia had no money, no passport, or any sort of paranormal travel papers to legally be here.
Sucky as it was, she needed help.
It was Leo's sister who finally broke the silence. "I think Leo can arrange all that, can't you, brother? Although it'll take some time. Most of what you require will need to be approved by the Fae Witch Dark Lord."
Yesenia frowned. "Lord? Are those still around?"
Rulers of a group or area of a certain paranormal type had always been called a Lord, no matter the language or location. However, the use had fallen out of favor after World War I.
Yet another mark in the column for her being in the past.
Leo grunted. "Of course they are. I'm one of them."
He stared at her, as if the pronouncement would make her instantly bow down—or would it be curtsy?—to him.
And yet she sensed he liked her steely spine and stubbornness. To be honest, it was the only thing keeping Yesenia standing tall and not collapsing into a hot, blubbering mess given how all the evidence screamed she wasn't still in twenty-first century Boston.
But there was time enough to think on that later, or even have a good cry. Getting home was her main goal, to protect her siblings. "So? Does that mean we have a deal?"
She put out her hand to shake and Leo's frown deepened. After a few beats, he replied, "Nearly. You'll stay out of my way, vow not to escape, and be the most accommodating female you can be until the claim is complete."
Accommodating wasn't exactly her first instinct right now, but she shrugged. "Staying out of your way and not escaping is enough. As for being accommodating, I'll try. Although where I come from, females speak their minds whenever they want and don't have to automatically obey a male's orders."
Most of the time. But she'd leave out that part. Because she doubted Derek would let her make her own choices.
Leo studied her a second and she wondered if he noticed her half-truth. Stupid vampires and their lie detecting abilities.
He finally took her hand and she ignored how warm, and firm, and big his fingers were around hers. After shaking, he dropped it like it was a hot coal. "You'll stay with my sister for now. Once things are arranged, I'll summon you."
Leo turned and left her without another word. As soon as he slammed the door, she glared at it, muttering, "It wouldn't kill you to at least be nice to me until you fucked me."
Nora placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed, garnering Yesenia's attention. "I know fae witches don't have fated ones, like shifters and vampires. But it can be rather disconcerting for us, even in the best of times. Leo's entire life was thrown upside down today. Give him some time to adjust to his new reality."
It was true—Yesenia would never have a pull toward another or the need to fuck and claim. Fae witches were more often wedded to form alliances or strengthen ties, be it political or magical. Oh, some did it for love, especially in the modern era. But not as often as vampires and shifters liked to believe.
She sighed. "You're taking this all in stride, Nora, without blinking an eye. I don't know how you do it."
Nora shrugged. "I knew someone whose fated lord showed up out of nowhere, thanks to a time-wielder. They ended up blissfully happy." Her look turned sad. "The male in question has since passed. But even if no one has seen a time-wielding fae witch in decades, I know for a fact they exist. So it's not completely ridiculous, at least to me. If you say you're from 2022, then I believe you."
Interesting. Maybe Nora could help her find out more about time-wielders. Maybe not right this second, but she could work on it. "The fated lord showing up wasn't for you then, since you mentioned still being in a frozen state. But maybe I can talk to the female it happened to?"
While Yesenia didn't understand the whole “why” behind a vampire's heart freezing until a fated one showed up, she knew a vampire couldn't go back into the state once their heart started beating again.
She secretly sent a thank-you to her middle school teachers for being super thorough with vampire studies.
Nora shook her head. "My friend's barely lucid these days. And being a seer only makes her a bit more mad."
At the mention of a seer, a thread of hope wound around her heart. A seer could locate anyone in the world, as long as they had access to a ley line. And if she could talk to one, she might finally be able to get some real answers.
However, she wasn't about to ask Nora to see one. At least, not yet. Maybe if she could convince Nora to be sympathetic, then she could ask for favors that her brother might not like.
Hoping to build a little rapport, she asked, "Have you been waiting for a time-wielder to send your fated one or ones?"
