Rebel Obsession (19 page)

Io glanced at him. Sev’s eyes were filled with suspicion. “What?”

“You didn’t. Please tell me you didn’t mate her.”

Damn it. Sev was a smart SOB. Io spun on him, finger pointed at his chest. “I did not violate her. And you can keep your holier-than-thou bullshit to yourself, too, asshole.” Maybe if he diverted their attention from mating to sex, he could get them to drop the subject.

Sev knocked Io’s hand aside and barreled down on him until the two stood chest-to-chest. “I’m not talking about fucking, asshole. I’m talking about mating. As in, tell me you are not her mate. Tell me you did not take her as a mate, Io.” If Sev had been a dragon, he would have been breathing fire.

So much for diversion. Oh well, it had been worth a shot.

Io took several deep breaths, holding Sev’s gaze. But what could he say? Sev had hit the bulls-eye. Io was a mated male now. His biology had fired up and formed a connection to Miriam the instant he had arrived home with her. He finally looked away and turned toward Miriam. She stood motionless a few feet away, her eyes wide and her mouth open as if she wanted to speak but couldn’t find the words.

“Yes. She’s my mate.”

“Jesus.” Trace pushed off the wall and paced toward the four guards.

“Shit.” Sev took a step back.

“Io?” Miriam tilted her head, confusion painting her face. “What are you saying?”

He walked toward her and took her hands. Time to fess up. “Somehow over the past twelve hours, my soul chose you, Miri. My mind and body mated to yours.”

Fear crossed her features. “Oh my God.”

“I’m sorry.” Wait a minute. Why the hell was he apologizing? He shouldn’t be apologizing for mating her. “I mean, I’m not sorry, but I know this isn’t what you need right now.”

“No, no. It’s not that. I mean, well….” she fidgeted. “My father won’t approve.”

“Do you?” That was all that mattered, in Io’s opinion. Everything else was subordinate. He didn’t care what King Bain thought. After all, he hadn’t mated the king. He had mated his daughter.

Without hesitation, she nodded. “I do.” Her hand tightened around his.

“Great.” Trace leaned against one of the guards. “Now what do we do.”

Sev took out his phone and punched in a number.

“Who are you calling?” Io didn’t like this.

“Yeah, Tristan? We’ve got a problem.” Sev spoke into his phone.

Why was Tristan so involved? What the hell was going on?

Sev continued. “No, nothing like that…hold on…Tristan, calm down…Tristan! He mated her, goddamn it!”

The dead air on the other end of the line was so loud Io could hear it. Then Tristan’s voice broke through the silence loud and clear. “WHAT?!”

Sev actually flinched and held the phone away from his ear for a second, then pulled it back in. “No, not like that. As in, he’s her mate. Io’s her mate, Tris.”

The string of expletives that shot out of the phone left nothing to the imagination. Everyone in the room instantly knew how up a pole Tristan was over that little newsflash. “PUT THAT ASSHOLE ON THE PHONE NOW!”

Sev held the phone out to him. “He wants to talk to you.”

“Yeah, I get that.” Io took the phone. “Hey, boss.”

“Don’t fucking
hey boss
me, you fucking son-of-a-bitch. What the fuck got inside that fucking head of yours? Fuck!”

Io had never heard Tristan use the f-word so many times in one breath. Another first for Io’s list of accomplishments, right up there with,
Yeah, I took a mate. Can you believe it?

“Get off my back!”

“FUCK YOU! I will
not
get off your back, Io! This was a major fuck-up on your part.”

“Taking a mate is a fuck-up?! You’re joking, right?”

“No, I’m not joking, asshole. She should never have been in your house to begin with.”

“And if she hadn’t, she’d be dead now, so which would you have preferred? Me dying because I didn’t save her life, or me dying because I did and ended up finding out she’s my mate. Because either way this stacks up, I’m dead, right? I might as well die doing something
noble.
”

Miriam stepped up beside him and wrapped her hands around his tattooed forearm, concern in her touch.

Tristan huffed and paused, then said in a more controlled voice, “No one says you’re going to die over this, Io.”

“Well, the four royal guards in my basement say otherwise.”

“What?”

“Yeah, I was about to be executed when Wonder Stud and his sidekick, Eighties Hair Band, showed up.” Io looked up to see the long-haired Sev glare at him and mouth,
Really? Eighties hair band?
as he flipped him off.

Io shot the bird back at him then flipped one to Trace while he was at it—just for good measure since he was in such a giving mood. Meanwhile, Miriam tucked herself against his side.

“Okay, okay.” Tristan took a deep breath. “Tell Trace to clean up their heads and send them out of there. Then I want all three of you here in thirty, especially you. You got me.”

“What about Miriam?”

“Send her home. The sun’s setting, so it’s safe for her to go outside.”

Io wrapped his free arm around Miriam’s waist as if protecting her. “Tris. No. She needs my care. She’ll go into withdrawal and she’ll need—”

“That’s not your concern right now,” Tristan said.

“Like hell it’s not!” Io glared as if Tristan were sitting in front of him. “She’s my mate. I won’t have her—”

“Goddamn it, Io! You send her ass home NOW!”

“What about the
calling?
” Io didn’t want to be away from his mate when the
calling
started and gripped him in sexual heaven. To be away from Miriam when the
calling
began would be more like hell. His body would drive him into agony without her. An agony that would rival cobalt withdrawal. Maybe even put it to shame.

“We’ll figure this shit out, Io, but right now, she needs to go home. Trace can implant new memories in the guards’ heads about what they found, we can get this mess cleaned up, and then we’ll figure out how to get you and your mate together. Now, you keep your shit together and don’t do anything stupid. I know how you are, Io, so you check your fly-by-the-seat attitude and get your ass in here now!”

Checkmate. Io was out of moves. For now, anyway.

“Fine.” He disconnected and handed the phone back to Sev.

“What did he say?” Sev said.

Io looked at Trace. “He wants you to give these guys new memories about what they found when they got here. Something innocent, I’m guessing.”

Trace made a face like he didn’t approve, but he would play nice. “Okay. I’m on it.”

Io looked at Miriam. “You have to go home.”

“No.” She shook her head and snuggled closer.

“You have to, baby.” He caressed her cheek.

“I don’t want to.” She tightened her hold on him as if it would allow her to stay with him.

“I don’t want you to, either, but we need to sort this out. We’ll be together. I promise.”

She shook her head again. “Io…? I’m worried. What if…?”

She would go into withdrawal again soon. They both knew it.

“Take a shower so my scent isn’t on you, okay? I’ll get your clothes out of the dryer and make you another cup of elixir. You’ll need to drink it before you go home. And I’ll fill a water bottle for you. Hopefully, it will get you through long enough so you don’t go into withdrawal before I can see you again.”

“What if I do?”

“Fight it. You’ll have to fight it, Miriam. But I’ll be with you soon. I promise, okay?”

She looked terrified, as if she felt she wouldn’t be able to fight her addiction without him by her side.

“Miriam, you’re strong. You can do this.”

She took a deep breath and nodded.

“Now, go on. Get in the shower. I’ll bring you your clothes.”

She disappeared into the bathroom and Io turned back around. Trace was puppeteering the four guards up the stairs.

Sev was staring at him.

“What?” Io said.

Sev placed his hands on his hips and looked at the floor then back up at him. “Man, I never thought I’d see this day.”

“What do you mean?”

“Fuck me, but you’re mated.”

Io glanced at himself in the mirror. The playboy was off the market. He didn’t look any different, but clearly he was a Lothario no more. “You know, I always thought Ari and I would take mates at the same time if I ever took one.” He grinned and looked back up at Sev. “I just never knew it would happen like this.”

Sev walked over and clapped a hand on Io’s shoulder. “He’d be proud.”

“You think so?”

“Hell yeah. I wish Ari could see you now. I mean, you’re a damn bonehead, but I guess you can’t help who you mate, right?”

Io nodded. If only Ari
could
see him now, but he had messed up their friendship so badly that he couldn’t even share this monumental moment with him.

“Damn, Io. You sure know how to pick ‘em.” Sev chuckled.

“Go big, or go home.” It was a motto Io lived by.

Sev’s chuckle turned into an outright laugh as he threw his head back and all that long, blond hair fell off his shoulders. “No shit!”

CHAPTER TWENTY

Miriam showered, dressed in her newly cleaned clothes, choked down a mug of the noxious but miraculous elixir-water, and joined Io and his friends upstairs.

Things were complicated now. What were they going to do?

“Hey.” Io smiled at her, looking relieved to see her.

She knew how he felt. “Hey.” Being near him instantly set her at ease.

His friends hovered nearby, the guards gone. Whatever Trace had done to them was finished, and it looked like they had been sent on their way. Events were now set in motion, and nothing could be undone. How were she and Io going to be together? This was her home now and leaving was as wrong as snow in summer. Was this how it felt to attach to a mate?

Io handed her a one-liter bottle of water. “Here. Take this home with you.” He nodded toward the bottle as he brushed his palm gently down her arm.

“Thank you.” She took the bottle and stuffed it into her oversized purse.

Trace turned his gaze toward the door right before it opened. Another male walked in. He had long, black hair that hung past his shoulders and black, groomed stubble lining his jaw and upper lip. His dark, shrewd eyes surveyed the room. “Girls,” he said with a nod.

“Micah?” Io frowned at the newcomer as he casually slid his arm around her waist.

Micah clasped hands with Trace. “Brother.”

“Glad you could join us, pretty boy,” Trace said.

“Why are you here?” Io’s fingers curled around the curve of her hip.

Micah seemed to make Io nervous, and Miriam glanced out of the corner of her eyes at him. He was already so protective of her. Her mate. Wow! She had a mate, just like that. Everything had happened so fast she still couldn’t grasp the idea. How was she supposed to act? Feel? Behave?

“I’m the chauffer.” Micah popped a piece of gum in his mouth and eyed her. “And it’ll come to you.” He smiled at her. A kind, knowing smile.

Io looked back and forth between her and Micah, his grip tightening around her waist. “Get out of her head, Micah. And what do you mean, you’re the chauffer?”

“Wait, wait, wait a minute.” She held up her hand, shaking her head. “What are you two talking about?”

Trace smirked and crossed his arms, leaning back against the wall as Sev sighed and paced.

“I’ll let you tell her while I get a drink.” Micah walked past them into the kitchen.

Io absently stroked her arm. “Micah tends to see everyone’s thoughts.” He turned and glared over his shoulder at Micah. “Which he will
not
do with you. Understood, pretty boy?”

Micah filled a glass with water and came back into the front hallway, drinking, eyeing them both. But he didn’t nod, and he didn’t agree with Io. Just stared, his gaze full of power and knowledge, piercing them both as if dissecting them.

Miriam shivered. Was Micah burrowing into her thoughts right now?

Trace chuckled and looked at his feet with a shake of his head.

“I said, is that understood?” Io’s face was stone hard, his eyes not wavering.

Micah sighed and set the glass down on the table next to him. “You know I can’t, Io. But I promise to be nice.” With a flourish, Micah dismissed Io and looked at her with a lopsided grin. “Your highness, I’m here to return you to your car and escort you home.”

Who was this guy? And what was with the
highness
bullshit? She would put her foot down on that shit right now.

“Okay, hot shot.” She shifted her weight to the side and waggled her finger in front of him. “I don’t know who you are or what planet you’re from, but one, get out of my head, and two, you can stop with the royal titles.” Miriam was going to lay the law with Io’s friends right off the bat. She got enough of the ass kissing at home. She didn’t need it here, and she certainly didn’t need a mind sweep.

The smile that broke over Micah’s face could have stopped traffic, and he glanced toward Trace. “Looks like we have a real she-devil here,” he said. He held out his hand. “I’m Micah, Miriam. Pleasure’s all mine if you’ve got balls like that.”

Io growled softly, and Micah’s gaze slid toward him, but he didn’t take away his hand.

She arched an eyebrow, wary, but shook his hand. “Good, because I hate the fucking hoity-toity royal crap.” Her gaze swept the others. “That goes for all of you. Any of you call me anything resembling
your highness
and I’ll twist your balls so hard you’ll curse the day you were born. Is that clear? My name’s Miriam. Not
Princess,
not
Your Highness,
not
Daughter of Bain.
Miriam. Got it?”

Micah and the others laughed, nodding and exchanging approving glances.

“You’ve got your hands full with this one, Io.” Micah chucked his shoulder.

“I know.” Io pulled her close and nuzzled her cheek. “And I love it.”

She turned into him.

“Does that go for me, too?” he said.

“What?”