Chapter Two

Leah instantly changed tactics. "How did you find me, anyway?" She'd kept off his radar for decades, then he suddenly found her in an alley in the middle of the night—right when she was ready to take down one of the worst traffickers in the world?

His smile emphasized the hard line of his jaw. "We tapped into the Kurjans' new devices."

Of course they had. Since vampires and Kurjans were male only, they often sought members of other species such as demons or witches—as well as enhanced humans—to mate.

As far as Leah could tell, there weren't any clear indicators for which humans became enhanced or why, except that the gift ran in families. Some of the lore indicated that enhanced humans were a species all their own. She'd even read once that they were cousins to the witches, who used physics and science to create fire plasma out of air and couldn't actually turn anybody into a toad.

She'd been incredibly disappointed when she discovered that fact. "How long have you been tapping into the Kurjans' surveillance equipment?"

He lifted one shoulder, looking nowhere near casual. "Just for a couple of months, after we discovered they had planted devices all around the world. Of course, now they're using satellites, so it's much easier to hack. It's actually the Realm doing the hacking, but I called in a favor."

Just great. He was calling in favors from the powerful coalition of immortals just to find her. "Why now?" she asked softly.

"Because we just got the technology," he murmured. "I almost had you a couple of months ago."

"Your brother almost did."

She'd been hanging out with her good friend, Ivy, who had mated Jasper's younger brother eons ago. They'd taken down a human trafficking ring together before Athan caught up with them and took Ivy home. Of course, the woman was head over heels, so it wasn't like she objected. At all.

Unlike Leah. If anything, she was a little too self-aware. Remaining detached from people took its toll on her, and she knew, she just knew , that if she allowed Jasper to get any closer to her, she'd completely lose her heart. Again. The guy chased brutal werewolves for fun and now had a dangerous immortal enemy who'd use Leah against him? Or him against her? Everyone she once knew had died. She had to keep her distance from Jasper to protect her heart…and both of their lives.

One of the bedroom doors opened, and yet another tall Maxwell male walked out—the one who'd been riding the other motorcycle. "I'm Dax," he said, stepping on a Lego and cursing. "What the fuck?" He kicked the toys across the marble hallway. "Why doesn't Benny clean this place?"

"Shouldn't have taken off your boots," Jasper retorted, his gaze remaining on Leah.

"I'm Leah," she said.

Dax leaned down to rub his humongous foot, which was encased in a hole-riddled white sock. "I know. I've seen pictures."

"We're in the middle of something," Jasper muttered.

Dax shrugged. "I'm hungry. There's leftover spaghetti in the fridge."

If Leah remembered right, Dax was only a year younger than Jasper. They had the same jet-black hair, but while Jasper's eyes were that odd co-mingling of blue and green, Dax's were pure green, somehow a lighter hue that looked predatory. She'd heard about him from their grandmother, who had become a friend. They spoke once in a while, and Nia had never turned Leah in. She'd always said that if Jasper couldn't catch her, he wasn't worth the effort.

Leah grinned. "Rumor has it you're always the first through the door."

One of Dax's dark eyebrows rose. Shoulder to shoulder with his brother, he stood to at least six-foot-seven. "Where did you hear that?"

"She talks to Grams," Jasper said. "They're all in it together, I'm telling you."

Dax poked at a bruise on his chin. "Whatever. Anyway, it's nice to meet you in person, finally." He winked. "It'll be good to have another sister on the ranch." With that, he loped down the hallway, kicking toys out of his way until he disappeared into what appeared to be a kitchen.

"He seems nice," Leah drawled.

"Just so you know, I'm first in the door when it comes to you," Jasper said dryly.

Perhaps Dax could be her ally. "It was nice of your brother to come as backup."

"He's actually on another mission," Jasper admitted.

"Good." She brightened. "This might work out after all. Why don't you guys go do your mission? I'll take care of a couple of matters, and then, tell you what, we'll meet up for dinner sometime."

Jasper chuckled, and the sound was anything but amused. "My mission is you."

"Oh." She bit her lip and, for two seconds, considered asking for his help. "I really am in the middle of something here."

Truth be told, it had been a lot of fun evading him all these years. She'd known from his grandma, Nia, that he had been busy on missions with the family. The Maxwells were an odd lot in that they were probably the best werewolf hunters on the planet. Werewolves were like shifters but without brains. They were animalistic and only aimed to kill. They craved blood.

"You're finished hunting werewolves?" she asked.

He nodded. "For the time being, even though we haven't hunted down the Kurjan scientist who created the newest virus to turn shifters into werewolves. His time will come. We have another focus right now."

How unfortunate, and what terrible timing. "Lovely. Is that why you chased me down?"

"I've known where you were plenty of times, but I have to admit, you've become pretty good at evading me."

She'd felt him drawing near and hadn't wanted to lose her freedom. Plus, she had several jobs she'd needed to complete, and her damn heart to protect. "Why now?"

"The war ended between the Kurjans and the Realm," he said simply. "They're allies now, which means our treaty with the Kurjans is over."

"What treaty?"

He studied her face as if looking for a falsehood. "My grandmother never said anything to you about that? I know you talk."

Leah shook her head. "No, Nia hasn't said a word."

"I'll explain when we get to Montana."

She set her stance. "I'm not going to Montana."

"I don't believe I asked," he said calmly.

Heat filled her head, and her ears started to burn. Her temper was rare but glorious when it arrived. "I am sorry about that." She pulled a weapon from the back of her jeans.

"Nice gun," he murmured. "Much better than the one you had in 1944."

"Yeah, this one shoots green lasers and takes down immortals—temporarily, anyway."

He appeared way too unconcerned about the weapon pointed at him. "Put the gun away, Leah. I'm only giving you one warning."

Oh, that was it.

Just then, the outside door opened, and the youngest Maxwell brother walked in. Klyde had black hair and coppery brown eyes that were usually mellow. He was as tall and broad as his brother, and amusement tugged at his lips. "Hey, Leah, how's it going?"

She winced, but his smile calmed her a bit. The last time she'd escaped the Maxwell brothers, Ivy had shot him. It had been a good move to help Leah. "You're not still pissed about being shot, are you?"

His gaze moved to the weapon she held steadily in her hand. "Ivy shot me, not you. Although I wouldn't like a repeat."

"This is between us," Jasper said.

Klyde winked at her. "Sounds like fun. I have intel that might be good. Be ready to leave in about thirty minutes. Is there still spaghetti?" He stomped down the hallway in his thick, black motorcycle boots, crushing several Legos.

"You'll have to pay for those," Jasper called out. "Benny was clear. No damages."

"I already have a new set in the back bedroom that we can drop all over the place when we leave," Klyde returned cheerfully, disappearing into the kitchen.

Jasper studied Leah. "As I was saying, you have three seconds to put down the gun."

* * * *

Jasper couldn't believe the woman dared to point a gun at him. He'd barely arrived in time to save her from a Kurjan she'd been hunting. Where the hell had her brain gone? "You understand you don't have any extra strength yet, right?"

She rolled her stunning eyes. "Yes, Jasper. Although you did tell me that Maxwell mates gain extra abilities and strengths, unlike most mates."

"Well, now." He stepped around the sofa and closer to his wayward mate. "Just so you know, that usually takes centuries. It also takes regular contact, which is about to be our new normal." He was finished going to bed alone every night. The fact that she now hunted danger of the immortal sort dispelled any doubts he might've harbored. "It's time to come home, Leah."

Her chin lifted.

That was it. He snatched the gun from her.

She blinked, her mouth falling open. "What the heck?"

"I gave you three seconds." He tossed the weapon onto the dark blue sofa where it bounced next to a couple of stuffed animals. "We need to talk."

Red spiraled into her pretty face. She'd always been lovely but had grown even more so through the years. She had those dark chocolate eyes, and her hair was thick, a myriad of different browns to black that fell gracefully to her shoulders. Taller than most of the females in his family so far, she had curves to spare. Perfect for him. "Stop staring at me."

"All right." He ducked his head again and tossed her over his shoulder, turning and striding to one of the guest bedrooms, sidestepping Legos the entire time. This close to her, touching her, had his entire system roaring with heat.

She struggled, her fists pounding against his lower back. "This is ridiculous," she muttered. "Stop throwing me over your shoulder. The caveman times were long finished before either of us was born."

"You might as well get used to it," he drawled, kicking shut the door behind him. "Either that or learn to obey."

Her entire body stiffened at the last statement, and she punched him square in the kidney. "Not a chance."

Interesting. He flipped her over to land on her butt on the bed. "I explained to you when we mated what would happen."

Her dark hair flew around her heart-shaped face. Anger and need glowed in her eyes. "Yes. You said if we ever truly mated, we'd crave each other on a level not experienced by other immortals. I believed you then, and I do so now. Thus, the only option is to stay away from each other."

"Wrong. We're finished doing that." His nostrils flared as he took in her scent. All woman. All his. "I also told you I'd come for you one day."

Her eyes flashed, lightening the brown to an intriguing amber. "I'm not ready."

"I don't care." He'd stopped worrying about her readiness the second she tried to capture a Kurjan. Obviously, allowing her this much freedom for decades had been a mistake. He'd been occupied with hunting down werewolves—animals with no souls. It pissed him off to no end that he hadn't found that Kurjan scientist. But with the treaty with their enemies ending, the scientist would have to wait. "We're at war with an enemy I've never even told you about, which means you're locked down safely."

She leaped to her feet. "I'm made for war."

He pressed a hand to her upper chest and gently sat her back down. "Wrong." Did she truly mean that? "You're an excellent spy in the human world, but you're in my world now. My mate does not go to war." With anybody but him, anyway. "You agreed to my terms when we mated, Leah. Period."

She put both hands on her hips, looking haughty, even sitting on the plush, cream-colored duvet. The furniture was made of a sturdy oak, no doubt to stay in one piece with Benny and his brood staying at the penthouse once in a while. "I did agree, but we did not dictate a timeline." Pink infused her high cheekbones, and she shifted her weight on the bed.

His cock went rock-hard.

Yeah, being this close to each other shot a heated tension through the entire room, overtaking the cool oxygen. Years ago, he would've fought the pull. "The timeline is dictated by me. Period."

Her cute nostrils flared. "That's not how—"

He was on her that fast. One knee on the bed between her legs, his hands in her hair, his body over hers. He kissed her, not pushing her back, exploring. She opened for him almost instantly, returning the kiss. Her hands tunneled into his hair and pulled, shooting electricity throughout his body.

She moaned something into his mouth, pulling him closer and lying back.

He followed, drowning in the softness of his female.

She grabbed the bottom of his shirt and dragged it over his head. Irritation clacked through him when he had to break the kiss. The second the material was out of the way, he dove in again. The woman tasted like vanilla and lavender. So, his memories were accurate. Through the years, he'd almost convinced himself that he'd imagined her taste.

Releasing his hair, she clasped his shoulders and scraped her nails down his bare torso. He nibbled her jawline, a roar filling his head from the blood pounding through his veins. Quick movements had her shirt over her head, followed by her bra, revealing her full breasts.

God, she was perfect.

Her hands stilled, and she paused, looking at him with wide, brown eyes. "Wait a minute, Jasper."

He levered up on one elbow. "It's much too late for that, baby."