“Let me guess,” the voice of the young female spoke up. He turned back around to see her peeking around the side of the large male. Her wide purple eyes shone back at him and she held a sardonic smile in place. “You have an ugly infestation of a little problem called Rapture?”

If he thought his life couldn’t get any more messed up, he was wrong, so very, very wrong.

“I think we should probably take this conversation to my office.” He motioned them to follow.

“That would probably be best,” the other female spoke up this time and he could tell that she was much older than the younger one, and possibly even related.

Elora’s eyes widened as they walked deeper into the casino, passing the struggling man that the security guards were attempting to subdue. She must have been drifting too close to the action because Cush, her fearless protector, wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to his side. They continued to follow the man who had introduced himself as Tony, and she tried to ignore the restless itch that had started the moment they landed and had been growing worse with every passing minute.

Once they were all herded into a spacious mahogany–paneled office, Tony motioned for them to take seats. Cush and Rin didn’t, so she didn’t either. She always hated being the only one sitting among a group of standing people.

“You’re an elf,” Tony said bluntly to Cush.

“What gave it away?” Elora asked him. “The incredible skin, unusual eyes, ridiculously luscious hair, or the catlike grace?”

Tony laughed. “Yes,” he answered simply.

“I am Nedhudir, light-elf warrior, and this is my comrade, Rincavornon.”

“FYI, they answer to Cush and Rin,” Elora added helpfully. “Because let’s just face it, those names are as ridiculous as their lush hair. I’m Elora and that’s my mom, Lisa, and my brother, Oakley.”

“I would like to say that it’s nice to meet you, Nedhudir and Rincavornon,” replied Tony, bowing his head slightly and without so much as a hesitation, “but, honestly, you’ve caught me at a bad time. The fact that you all show up here at the same time that I have customers trying to kill each other over a drug concocted by your people…” he pointed to Cush, “doesn’t really bode well for me.”

“My people,” Cush gritted out, “had nothing to do with Rapture.”

Elora felt the tension in the room jump a couple notches as the two men faced off. She waited a beat before stepping in between the two because she had to admit Tony was hot, and her man was hot. And, really, who was she to come between two hot males who want to duke it out? But then Tony took a step forward and Cush tensed and Elora decided that she would have to put her fetish aside for the greater good. Ugh, the things I give up in the name of peace, she grumbled inwardly as she stepped up and put a hand on Tony’s chest to keep him from coming closer. Looking back, that probably wasn’t the best thing she could have done.

“I really think that the dark elves trying to take over the human race is more than enough war for both our people right now, without adding you two to the mix, don’t you?” Elora asked as she looked between the two men.

“Little Raven, do you wish the human to die?” Elora heard Cush’s voice in her mind and her eyes snapped down to the wrist he now held in his large hand.

“Not really into homicide; it just doesn’t do it for me,” she told him calmly.

“Then you would be wise to remove your hand from his chest.”

Elora looked at the offending hand pressed firmly to Tony’s chest and quickly jerked it back. “Seriously?” she asked incredulously. “You were bothered by that?”

“Wait,” Tony suddenly spoke up, “are you his Chosen?”

“I don’t like you touching other males,” Cush told her simply without acknowledging Tony’s question.

“It’s not like I was copping a feel,” Elora argued.

“I told you I was possessive,” Cush countered.

“That’s putting it mildly don’t you think?” Tony spoke up again, this time to Elora. “If you’re his Chosen, then you would do well not to breathe the same air as other males.”

“You’re mine,” Cush added.

“Yes, we’ve established that. So when you finally meet your Chosen do you suddenly devolve and revert back to caveman mentality? Do you suddenly feel the need to drag me around by my hair?”

“I wouldn’t give him any ideas,” Tony muttered.

“And you,” Elora said sharply as she turned and pointed at him, “nobody is asking for a side commentary on the This is Elora’s Life show, so keep your helpful hints to yourself.”

“You’ve got your hands full.” Tony looked passed her to Cush.

Elora jerked around when she heard a soft huff of laughter, but Cush’s face was still as stone in his unwavering glare. “She’s worth it,” he said as his eyes met hers.

Elora rolled her eyes. “You know what, whateve. You two want to kill each other then have at it. Those of us who want to save the world will just wait until you’re done.”

“You’re being dramatic again,” Oakley said from behind her.

“Nobody asked you, Bro,” Elora said, not taking her eyes off the men still glaring at each other.

“I am not a dark elf and I have no desire to see the humans enslaved, nor do any of my people,” Cush told Tony.