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"Of course." Karen nodded. "I would like to put on something more comfortable as well." She cast Gilbert a sidelong glance. "Although I have to admit that you look very dashing in your tux, and I will be sorry to see you take it off."
Usually, Gilbert would have loved the suggestive undertones in her voice and demeanor, but knowing what she was plotting, he was seething.
It was true that they had talked about it, deciding that it was the only way to go, but Gilbert wasn't ready. He needed more time to get used to the idea, even if it only involved Ingrid and Atzil getting it on in the other bedroom and Atzil rushing over to bite Karen when his fangs and venom were ready for action.
When they got to their cabin, Gilbert glared at Karen. "You shouldn't have invited them without checking with me first. I'm not ready to proceed with the plan yet."
"We don't have to do anything tonight." She stepped out of her high heels and bent down to retrieve them. "I invited them for drinks, and that's all we are obliged to do." She continued to their bedroom.
Gilbert followed. "Eric said that I would need to be chained to the bed to prevent me from attacking Atzil."
Unzipping her dress, she cast him an amused glance. "Even in your new immortal body, you are no match for the cook. Did you see the muscles on the guy?" She stepped out of the dress and draped it over the bed.
For a moment, he just looked at her, desire stealing the words out of his mouth. Even after all the years they had been together, he still had difficulty keeping his hands off her.
Now was not the time, though. "That's not the point. I know he can beat me up, but neither of us should get hurt in the process, and for that to happen, I should be restrained. Besides, what if you start transitioning immediately? I don't think the clinic on board the ship has the equipment to monitor you. Also, do you really want to miss all those weddings?"
Knowing Karen, the last part was the one that would convince her.
"As I said, I only invited them for drinks." She reached for a loose summer dress and pulled it out of the closet. "It's not easy for me either, but I think the more time we spend with Ingrid and Atzil, the more comfortable we will become with them, and it will get easier." She pulled the dress on.
Letting out a breath, Gilbert shrugged off the tux jacket. "Yeah, you're right." He took out a hanger and draped the jacket over it. "I just don't know if Atzil is the right guy. It would have been nice if you could be induced by a god."
She cast him an incredulous look. "We are not asking Toven. There is no way he will agree, and even if he did, I would die of mortification."
"I wasn't thinking of asking Toven."
"Then who?"
"Aru."
Karen laughed. "You are kidding, right? He is mated to your sister."
Gilbert ran a hand through his hair, which was becoming thicker by the day. "I know it's a little weird to make love to you in our room while Gabi and Aru are doing the same in another, but I wouldn't feel as weirded out by Aru biting you because I know he has absolutely no interest in you."
Karen grimaced. "Thanks for making me feel like an old hag."
Reaching for her, he pulled her into his arms. "You are the most desirable woman in the world to me, but Aru only has eyes for Gabi. Atzil and Ingrid are not bonded mates, so he can feel lust toward you, and I know that he does."
Her eyes widened. "Did you smell it? He could have been having lustful thoughts about Ingrid."
"Perhaps. But I know how a man looks at a desirable woman, and that was how he looked at you."
"Well, that's good, right? Otherwise, he might not want to bite me. Which Aru might have a problem with, since he's bonded to Gabi, or at least we assume that he is. He might be repulsed by me."
That hadn't occurred to Gilbert. What if Aru wasn't able to do it? Or just plain wouldn't want to?
What if Gabi couldn't tolerate the idea of her mate biting another woman, even if it was Karen?
"We can ask, or rather I can ask. I know that it would be too embarrassing for you."
Karen shook her head. "Don't. You'll just get Gabi upset, and Aru will think that you are weird. In fact, both of them will think that you are creepy, but Gabi knows you and loves you, and she will forgive you, while Aru might not want to have anything to do with you."
"My request won't be received well, but if they agree, there are two significant advantages to Aru doing the deed. He's a god, so his venom is more potent than any immortal's, especially a diluted immortal like Atzil. He could also thrall us both to think that he is not there and that I am the one biting you. That would make all the difference."
Karen pursed her lips. "You make a good argument, but I won't jeopardize our relationship with Gabi and Aru just to make things easier for us."
"I agree. The best way to test the waters is to tell them our plan with Atzil and Ingrid and wait for them to volunteer.”
