“If she were infected,” Roland asked, “would she turn immortal or vampire?”

“We have no way of knowing,” Seth answered.

Somber stares all around. So she couldn’t be transformed.

“If you’re worrying about me growing old, dying, and leaving Marcus alone in a few decades . . .” Ami began.

Yes, they were. Marcus had come very close to the edge after losing a woman he had loved for eight centuries. Like Etienne, everyone present feared what losing Ami would do to him.

“Then don’t,” she continued. “My race is very long-lived. It will take me centuries just to get my first gray hair.”

Their time together would still be finite, but at least they would have centuries rather than decades.

“Ami and the baby are both doing well,” Seth announced. Thus far went unspoken. “I trust you understand now why I want Ami to be protected at all costs?”

Everyone nodded. This was unprecedented. Etienne didn’t remember ever having heard of an immortal female giving birth or an immortal male fathering a child with a mortal. And he would have heard it if it had happened.

“Then you also understand why she will not be aiding us in tracking down the mercenaries this time.”

“Of course,” Roland voiced, and glared at everyone else until they nodded or said the same.

Antisocial, but loyal. Roland was going to be protective as hell of that baby once it was born.

If it was born.

Etienne silently prayed that all would be well with Ami’s pregnancy and that she would give birth to a healthy babe. She had suffered tremendously at the hands of Emrys and his doctors. He hated to think of her suffering more.

Seth thanked them for their discretion and for forgiving his deception. (It had been Seth who had told them all Ami was a gifted one.) He then wished them all happy hunting.

Every immortal present, save Seth and David, hugged Marcus and Ami and congratulated them before seeking out their Seconds.

Etienne hugged Ami, then Marcus, slapping him on the back.

Krysta smiled down at Ami. “Are you having any weird cravings? Can we pick something up for you while we’re out hunting?”

Etienne’s chest swelled with what he could no longer deny was love for her.

Ami smiled and shook her head. “I’ve really been having a hard time keeping anything down. Anything but lollipops, that is. They seem to be the only sweets I can tolerate.”

“Lollipops it is,” Krysta promised with a smile.

Etienne and Krysta moved away as Jenna hugged Ami and started to chat her up.

“When do you want me to transform you?” he asked as they sought out Cam to let him know they were leaving.

“Tonight?” she asked hopefully.

He nodded. “Let’s let David know before we leave.”

A few minutes later, calling good hunting to those within, Etienne and Krysta stepped out into the night. As they crossed to his car, Etienne glimpsed Roland and Marcus within the shadows of the forest that surrounded the drive.

Roland dragged Marcus into a rough hug.

Marcus’s hands clenched into fists on Roland’s back, knuckles showing white. His mind was full of what-ifs. And all were terrifying.

Roland’s mind was full of the same, along with a heavy dose of concern for his friend and . . . guilt. Roland was keeping something from him.

Etienne frowned. Who the hell was Zach? And what did he have to do with Ami and Lisette?

“Where do you want to hunt tonight?” Krysta asked, unaware that they weren’t alone.

Etienne hastily looked away from the duo before Roland could catch him staring. Opening the car door, he waited for Krysta to slide inside. “Let’s try UNCG.” Lisette had been hunting there of late.

“Okay. Let’s pick up Ami’s lollipops on the way so we won’t forget.”

“Sure.” He closed the door. Strolling around to the driver’s side, he glanced at the forest and discovered the elder immortals were gone.

They only encountered three vampires that night. All were insane. So all were destroyed.

Etienne was unharmed in the brief battle. Krysta barely earned a scratch. Yet they both bore their fair share of bloodstains when they returned to David’s home and claimed what Etienne called a quiet room in the basement.

“What’s a quiet room?” she asked, checking it out.

“A room that has been so thoroughly soundproofed that the other immortals in the house won’t be able to hear anything that transpires within it.”

Good to know.

“So. How are we going to do this?” Krysta asked, beginning to feel a bit anxious now that the time of her transformation was at hand. Guilty, too, because she hadn’t told Sean of their plans for fear he would spend hours trying to talk her out of it.

“Let’s wash the blood and sweat off first,” Etienne suggested and peeled off his coat.

“Sounds good to me.” Krysta removed her own coat.

Minutes passed as they disarmed.

She grinned and shook her head as the pile of weapons they stacked on the nearby love seat grew. “We’re quite a pair, aren’t we?”

He winked. “Perfect for each other.”

She agreed wholeheartedly.

Her breath caught as he drew his shirt over his head.

All that muscle . . .

His long fingers dropped to the zipper of his pants.

Krysta hurriedly yanked her own shirt over her head so she wouldn’t miss anything.

He slid the zipper down. Tucking his thumbs in the waistband, he peeled off the pants and his boxers and kicked them aside.

Her heart beat faster.

He was already hard.

“Waiting for anything in particular?” he asked innocently.

Grinning, she pulled her sports bra off and let it fall to the floor. “Have I mentioned how much I love it when your eyes glow?”

“No,” he murmured, his luminous amber gaze devouring her as she unfastened her pants and slid them down to her ankles, along with her bikini panties. “Damn, you tempt me.”

Good. Because she couldn’t wait to feel him inside her again.

Groaning, he closed his eyes for a moment, then turned and strode into the bathroom.

As she followed him, she heard the faucet give a faint squeak. Steam poured from the shower as she entered the sleek room.

Immortal Guardians must have a thing for bathrooms, because this one, like those in Etienne’s home, was as gorgeous as a millionaire’s spa.

Tugging the elastic band from the end of her braid, she untwined her hair and finger-combed it while she admired Etienne’s gorgeous form.

He held his hand out to her.

Smiling in anticipation, she took it and stepped into the granite-tiled shower more than big enough for two.

Steam encapsulated and caressed them as he slid the glass door closed. Drawing her up against him, Etienne stepped back into the fountain of water and let it flow over them like hands.

Krysta touched his shoulders, drew her fingers down his slick chest as he tilted his head back.

Water turned his hair into a sleek, black cap, straight and soft and shiny against his handsome face. Reversing their positions, he settled his hands low on her spine.

Krysta arched her back and reached up to run her fingers through her hair as the warm water swiftly saturated it.

Etienne pressed his hips into hers, sliding his hard cock between her parted thighs and sending shocks of pleasure through her.

Her breath caught. She lowered her chin and met his gaze.

“You’re so beautiful, Krysta.”

Abandoning her hair, she gripped his biceps. “So are you.”

He leaned closer.

Anticipation rose as she focused on his lips.

He drew back, a bar of soap and two washcloths in his hand.

Had he just been reaching past her?

“Tease,” she grumbled as he stepped back, breaking all contact.

He laughed. But that glowing gaze continued to roam her as he lathered up one of the cloths and handed it to her.

Krysta took it and began to vigorously scrub one arm, removing splotches of blood as she watched him lather up the other cloth and return the soap to the dish behind her.

“Slower,” he instructed, voice silky smooth.

She paused.

Etienne kept his eyes on Krysta, focusing on her exquisite, expressive face as he drew his soapy cloth down one arm in long, leisurely strokes, then up again.

Hunger flared in her gaze as she watched the motion, then mimicked it herself, slowing her movements to sensual strokes.

He smiled, hard and aching and loving the suspense, loving having to wait, loving making her wait, knowing how explosive it would be when they finally joined.

He drew the cloth down over his other arm.

Krysta did the same.

He slid it down his side, over his hip and down one leg.

Krysta continued to follow his lead, her gaze frequently skipping to the erection that strained toward her.

Up one leg, then down the other. Then back up the leg and his other side. He slid the cloth over his chest, dragging the material over his nipples and imagining it was her hands.

Krysta did the same, gasping and biting her lip.

He dropped his cloth. She dropped hers and took a step toward him.

Etienne shook his head. “Not yet.”

She stopped and stared as he slid his soapy hands over his chest. Then she cupped her breasts in soapy hands and squeezed them with a moan.

His pulse raced. For a moment he forgot to move.

Her hips shifted restlessly as she continued to fondle her breasts, stroking, squeezing, and pinching the hard, pink tips. Then she slid one hand down her flat stomach.

Etienne slid a hand down his own.

Her fingers brushed the dark thatch of hair at the juncture of her thighs.

His fingers brushed his.

She widened her stance.

His body caught fire.

She slid those delicate fingers between her legs and moaned again as she stroked the nub hidden there.

Etienne fisted his cock, heart pounding against his ribs as he drew his hand down the long length and squeezed the sensitive tip.

She eased back a step. Water struck the back of her neck and sluiced down over her shoulders, rinsing the soap away and making her skin gleam as she continued to squeeze and massage one breast while stroking herself between her legs.