Dangerous Mating (A.L.F.A., #3)(42)

“I will take possession of the shifter’s body and live once again. I’ve waited for such a long time.”

“You’ve already taken possession of him and me,” she said. He laughed and walked up the stairs. A few minutes later the guards brought food and water then went back upstairs. Did they really think she was dumb enough to eat their poisoned food? That trick was in every story ever told. Instead, she shoved it in the corner.

Behind her, a cracking sound startled her. She turned to see her Bryon back in human form, lying on the ground. And naked. If not for their dire situation, she’d keep this view for a while. But she turned and wiggled her robe off for him to cover himself. After shimmying it from her shoulders, she turned to see Bryon set down the cup of water.

“No.” She would’ve slapped the cup from his hand, but he’d already drunk it all.

“What?” His voice was scratchy. “Where are we?” His head shook and he wiped at his eyes. “Everything is blurry. Do you have more water?” Whatever they drugged him with dehydrated his body.

“There may have been poison in that drink,” she said.

He looked at the cup then around them. “Well, shit. There probably was if the prince had anything to do with it. It will knock me out in a few minutes.” He sat up and ran fingers through his hair. “Where are we?”

“At the old castle on the hill,” she said. She held out her robe. “Put this on to cover some of you. Probably not all of you, though.” Her eyes strayed down his chiseled chest and abs. When his thighs separated, her look snapped back to his face. He caught her checking him out. Again. She raised her chin as her cheeks flushed hot. “You’re my mate,” she said. “I can . . . can . . .” she waved her arm in the air over his body, “look all I want.” She dropped the robe on him.

He laughed and pulled her down to his lap. “Yes, you can, my love. And I like that you do. But the fear I smell tells me we have other matters to attend to first.” He kissed her neck. She sighed. She felt so much stronger when with him. He gave her the belief they could get through everything. They practically had already. “Now tell me what’s happening. Why are we at the castle? I heard this place was haunted by one of the old ancestors.”

“I heard that, too, but I don’t believe in ghosts, so that’s the least of my worries.” She scooted around on his lap. “Have you seen anything weird about the prince?”

“Weird like what? He’s flamboyant as hell, but that doesn’t bother me.”

“Remember the drawings on the wall talking about the royals being possessed by demons?”

“Yeah.”

“I think it is true. Several times I’ve seen red in his eyes. And that is not a human trait.”

He rubbed his chin. “I have to agree based on what I’ve seen.”

“But I don’t know how that applies to us,” she replied.

“Have you talked to him any? Did he say anything?” he asked.

She thought back to what the prince had said recently. Dammit to hell. Now the bastard’s comment made sense. “He said he’s going to take possession of your body. That he’s been waiting a long time to find another one of you. You being shifters.”

Bryon nodded. “He said something similar to that before—waiting for another me. But doesn’t he know shifters can’t be possessed? The wolf will kick out the demon before it gets a chance to move in.”

“Thank god, that’s a relief. I don’t think he knows that. Should we tell him?”

“Let’s wait until telling him benefits us in some way. We might be able to use it somehow,” he said. His eyes drooped and head fell back against the bars.

Panic ran through her. She slapped his cheeks. “Bryon, wake up. You can’t pass out. We have to get out of here.” His head snapped forward.

“I’m awake. But won’t be soon.”

“How long were you out before?” she asked.

“I don’t know. I wasn’t out too long. Maybe a couple hours. But that was a full dose for me. This was meant for you, right?”

She whipped around to look at him. “You’re right. You were out when they dragged you in here. Why would they bring it for you? That means you got a partial dose.”

“That would explain why I’m still conscious,” he replied.

“But barely.” She took a deep breath. She had to think to come up with a plan. Goddard would try to take over her mate’s body, but wouldn’t be able to. What would Goddard do when he discovered he couldn’t? He’d kill them both on the spot. Shit. Think, Kari, think.

This wasn’t a puzzle easily solved by analytics or moving things around in her head. She’d always wondered if that accident hadn’t happened when she was twelve would she be “normal,” just like the average Joe who watched Wheel of Fortune because Jeopardy made him feel dumb?

He rested against the stone wall. They were running out of time. His shaky hand lifted to her face. Fingers brushed against her cheek. “I loved you the first time I set eyes on you in the prince’s dining room. That second, I knew you were mine.”

He spoke like he was dying. Maybe they were on their way to meet death. Tears rolled from her eyes. “I loved you the second I saw your picture in the director’s office. The guys could smell it on me. I was so embarrassed.” He chuckled. She leaned forward and kissed him. Much too quickly, his body went limp.