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  He grinned down at her. “I’m glad you like the package, sweetheart. It’ll make things a lot easier between us. Now let’s get you cleaned up.”

  She gasped in happy surprise. He wanted her to groom herself. She understood that. It was easier when she was in her wolf form, but she could do it if it pleased him. She nodded and decided to start with her hands. She licked one hand and frowned. She did not taste very good.

  “Whoa!” the First said. Kaja looked up. He seemed a little horrified.

  “Do you think she was raised by wolves?” The red-haired female’s eyes were wide as they studied Kaja. Shame washed over Kaja. She was as stupid as the pack said. She did not understand even the simplest command. It must have shown in her eyes, because the little female softened. “It’s all right. We just don’t lick ourselves clean.”

  “Sometimes you do, lover. Beck often orders you to lick him clean,” the softer of the two dark-haired men said. It earned him an elbow in the ribs from the woman.

  The First frowned at his lessers. “Nice, guys. Make her think we’re all pervs.”

  “She’ll find out soon enough,” the man said and stepped back to avoid another elbow. His twin laughed aloud.

  The First sent them a dirty look. His eyes softened when he turned back to Kaja. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”

  “Name?” She did not recognize the word. The magic they employed only worked part of the time. She still was confused at much of their talk.

  He patted his chest. “Dante. That’s what people call me. What do people call you?”

  The People called her many names. She flushed thinking of all the things she had been called. She had chosen her own name at the age of eight, though the members of the pack still refused to use it, preferring to call her “that creature.” She did not have to tell him that. She could hide her shame here. “Kaja. I am Kaja. I like it. It means pure.”

  She had always liked the way it sounded.

  “Kaja, that is very ironic.” The First laughed. Kaja felt a sweetness center in her chest. It was the first time she had heard her name from another’s lips. The First stopped and smiled down at her. He touched his chest. “You are Kaja, and I am called Dante.”

  “Dante,” she said, trying the word out on her tongue. Dante, the First.

  “Come,” the First said. He held out his hand. Kaja let him pull her up. “Meg, do you have anything with you that will take the stink off her? I think there’s a pretty woman under here somewhere.”

  The female handed the First a square. It was pink, and Kaja could smell a pleasant floral scent. She hoped they didn’t want her to eat it. It didn’t look like something good to eat. The First held his square and began pulling her toward the water. Perhaps she was supposed to take a drink. She leaned over and smelled the water. It seemed fine, though it was a bit warm.

  “No, sweetheart,” the First said. “Get in. I want you to bathe yourself.”

  Her eyes went wide, and she pulled her fingers out of his hand. He wanted her to immerse herself in water? She had seen two members of the pack fall through the ice into water once. They had struggled and fought and finally went under never to be seen again.

  “No,” Kaja said, shaking her head.

  She would not allow him drown her. She would not be put down. She had done nothing wrong. She planted her feet to stop from coming one step closer to that small pool.

  “Yes,” the First sighed. “Look, this isn’t going to work if I can’t convince you to stay clean. Vampires are very fastidious creatures. Heightened senses and all. Let’s get you cleaned up, and then we can talk. I have plans, you see, and you, little darling, figure into them.”

  She would never talk. She would drown. She pulled back and tried to change. She growled in frustration. Her limbs would not change. She was weak in this form. Why, oh why, could she not change? She tried to pull away from the First’s hold on her. She wanted so badly to run. She would run and never come back. She would find a place with a forest. She would live alone forever.

  “Stop fighting me,” the First said, sounding very tired. He wrapped his hand around her arm and tried to haul her to the pool.

  “Tell her, Dante.” That came from the dark-haired man with the sword.

  The First refused to give up his hold on her. They were at an impasse. She struggled against him. “I just did that, Beck.”

  “No, you didn’t. You were polite. That’s not what she needs. She didn’t respond to you until you forced her to submit, and then she followed you like a sweet girl. Dogs are like that. They fight and bite until you show them you’re their master.”

  “She is not an animal.” The First sounded irritated.

  “Neither is Meggie, but trust me, our lives got easier once I took control,” Beck offered.

  The red-haired girl, Meg, they called her Meg, snorted. “As if.”

  The one called Beck stood too close now. He stared at the First. “Tell her what to do, Dante. If she doesn’t do it, make her do it. She needs it. She’s scared. We have no idea where she came from or what she’s been through. She calmed down once she realized you were stronger than she was. It makes her feel safe. She needs dominance first and then kindness. Take control or I will.”

  Kaja fought harder. She didn’t like the look of that one. He was larger than the First and probably cruel. What was this kindness he spoke of? The word did not translate. Why would the First let her close and then kill her? She felt tears form in her eyes. She hated them. Helga used to slap her every time she cried. It was weakness. She growled low in the back of her throat to cover them up.

  “No.” The First growled right back. “You will do as I say. Don’t make me hurt you, sweetheart. I don’t want to do that, but I will if it means keeping you alive. If you get away, Beck will hunt you. Do you understand?”

  His words were too fast, and she wasn’t really listening. The man, Beck, had his hand on his sword again. Meg was pulled behind the soft one. Kaja kicked out, trying to hit the First in the groin again. She was surrounded, and she couldn’t change, but she wouldn’t go down without a fight.

  The First roared at her, and she was on the ground once more. She felt the hard dirt against her skin and his hand on her neck.

  “You belong to me,” the First snarled at her, his breath hot against the back of her neck. “You will do as I say. If you don’t, we’re going to have a problem. I might not have played at BDSM, darling, but I assure you I can spank that little ass of yours if I have to.”

  Kaja went limp. The tears began, and they wouldn’t stop this time. Perhaps it would have been better if they had left her to die after her father’s betrayal. She had been a baby. She wouldn’t have cared. She would have given in to the snow sleep and never woken up.

  “Damn it,” the First muttered. He pulled her up. His arms wrapped around her. She was filled with his scent once more. She didn’t struggle. He was warm and smelled so good to her. She cried and let him settle her on his lap. “Why are you fighting me, sweetheart?”

  “I do not wish to die,” she said quietly. She didn’t know why. Valhalla had to be better, but she worried she would be given to Hel.

  The First’s face was wide open. “What? I’m not trying to kill you. I’m trying to get you clean.”

  She stared up at him, sensing no lies. “Other pack members have drowned when they have fallen into the water.”

  His hand caressed her cheek. “I promise, I won’t let you drown. Here’s what’s going to happen. You’ll get in the tub and wash the filth away. Rhys is already preparing water for a fresh tub. We’ll haul away the grimy water, and I’ll soak with you for a while. Would you like that?”

  She didn’t see that she had much of a choice in the matter. He was the only thing she’d found to cling to in this odd world. If he betrayed her, at least it would all be over. But if he was not lying, perhaps she had found something good. When he got up, she followed.

  Chapter Four

  “Just what the
hell do you think you’re doing, Dante?”

  Dante forced himself to turn around. He didn’t want to. He was enjoying the picture that Kaja made as Meg soaped her hair. It had taken little Kaja a while, but she was finally settling in to the business of getting clean. He’d had to keep his hands on her for the longest time. It was the only way to keep her calm. Her bright, blue eyes had pleaded with him to keep her safe, and he couldn’t deny her. He’d felt his heart tugged by the sweet little whimpers she’d made as she’d tried to adjust to the water. Dante had let her know how pleased he’d been with her for being so brave. He hadn’t been joking or sarcastic. It really had taken a lot for her to get into the tub.

  Now her eyes were closed as she allowed Meg to rub her scalp. There was a dreamy look on her face. She seemed to enjoy the contact. What a sensual little thing. If she liked having her hair washed, how much would she like a massage? He would like to rub his hands across her soft flesh and feel her respond.

  “Dante.” Beck’s voice pulled him out of that fantasy. “I asked you a question. What are you thinking buying that girl? Have you lost your mind?”

  Dante took a deep breath. Yelling at his cousin would only scare Kaja. “I bought a consort, cos. Vampires do it every day. Do I need to remind you that you bought Meg in this very tent?”

  “I fought for Meg,” Beck corrected. “As you should be forced to fight in a tourney for Kaja. The reason you aren’t fighting is that no one else is willing to take her. That should tell you something.”

  It was traditional for the gnomes to collect an entry fee for the tournaments they held. The prize was a female. She was called a consort for the vampires, a bondmate for the Fae. A large tournament could attract twenty to thirty combatants. Dante thought it was a plus that he didn’t have to get his clothes dirty. He didn’t mention this to his warrior cousin.

  “I agreed to pay a measure of gold equal to ten tourney fees,” Dante assured him. “Rhys will be able to give the demon a proper cut. This solves the problem for everyone. Stop worrying.”

  Beck’s mouth tightened. “I wasn’t worried about Rhys. I’m worried about you. You can’t seriously believe she will make you a fit consort. She didn’t even know what a bath was.”

  “Meg wasn’t from this plane, either,” Dante pointed out. He was rapidly getting irritated with his cousin. It was irrational. He should be thrilled. It was exactly the reaction he was hoping for. She was spectacularly unsuitable. He couldn’t have dreamed up a less suitable candidate if he’d tried. Yet Beck’s assessment of her rankled.

  “Meg is highly intelligent,” Beck said in a wholly lofty voice to Dante’s mind. His arrogance was setting Dante on edge. “She might have come from a different plane, but she had a working knowledge of the creatures around her.”

  “Yes, that’s why she nearly let a kelpie eat her,” Dante shot back. It had taken Meg a while to get used to her new home.

  Beck shrugged, his eyes straying to his wife. “I didn’t say she always used it intelligently. She adapted quite nicely. She’s making an excellent queen. This Kaja is never going to adapt. She’s practically feral. How is she going to live on the Vampire plane? Do you really think she’ll be happy in your penthouse, going to teas with other consorts and attending charity balls?”

  He couldn’t see it. He struggled to see her sitting in the penthouse’s large, elegant parlor having drinks with his parents, sister, and her consort before the consorts were called in to dinner. He would sit with his father and sister and discuss business while she was led to the sumptuous dining room and did whatever consorts did while they ate. More than likely they talked about fashion and the latest DLs. She wouldn’t know what a DL was. He wasn’t sure she knew what clothes were.

  “You see my point?” Beck asked, not unkindly. “Look, Cian talked to me about what Uncle Alex is doing to you. You might not like to hear this, but I think he’s right. You do need to find a consort. It’s far past time, but this isn’t the right one. I’ve discussed the situation with Rhys, and if your family will pay her fee and put a hefty down payment on the next suitable consort to come through, Rhys will give you the first look. He’ll make it a private sale contingent on your father’s acceptance of the female. I’m sure your father will agree to it. It isn’t a deal Rhys would make with another vampire family. I’ll take Kaja and find a place where she’ll be happy. You’ll get your consort, and Kaja will be free.”

  Dante actually felt his claws pop out. His hands twitched with the need to wrap them around his cousin’s throat. A righteous sense of possessiveness swept across Dante. “I bought Kaja. I paid her full price. I used my own fucking money to do it. I signed the paperwork not ten minutes ago. Is Rhys threatening to revoke her sale?”

  Beck took a step back, his eyes wide as he looked down at Dante’s hands. “No, Dante. Look, cos, no one is telling you that you can’t have a consort. One comes through every couple of weeks. You just need to wait. Be patient.”

  His cousin patted him sympathetically on the shoulder, and without a thought, Dante batted his hand away. Beck held his fisted hand by his side, but Dante could see the impulse to fight in his cousin. Part of him hoped the big Fae gave in to it. He was sick of being treated like an idiot. “Stay out of my marriage, Beck. If you won’t accept Kaja, then get your ass back to your little kingdom. I’ll take care of my consort.”

  Dante turned and noted Meg’s white face. She watched the confrontation with a worried air. Kaja’s eyes had come open, but she didn’t look worried. She was watching Beck with narrow eyes, as though prepared to attack should he take a step toward Dante.

  “It’s all right, sweetheart,” Dante said, feeling himself calm a bit. He noticed that the gnomes were coming in with the second tub. The water she’d cleaned herself in was grimy. She needed a bath from her bath. “Beck isn’t going to hurt me. He’s leaving.”

  “We’re leaving?” Cian asked, walking in with a bucket of hot water.

  “No,” Beck replied with a frown. “Dante is just being unreasonable.”

  Meg got up and fetched a towel as the wee ones made the clean tub ready. Kaja stood.

  “Hey,” Dante said, quickly covering her in the towel. He hadn’t thought much about her nudity before. She’d been covered in filth. Now that her pale skin was clean and glowing like a pearl, he had problems with it. “We have guests, Kaja.”

  She nodded. “Yes, I can see them. Meg, Cian, and Beck.”

  She smiled as she pointed to each and seemed pleased to have remembered their names.

  “Yes, and the men have no need to see what belongs to me,” Dante muttered. “They should leave.”

  “You see what I mean?” Beck asked, looking at his brother. “Unreasonable. He won’t listen to me, Ci. Talk to him. She’s wild. She needs to roam. She needs a place with lots of land and places to run. I was thinking of the woods outside the village. As long as she promises not to attack our villagers, it would be perfect. There is plenty of game in the forest. Would you like that, Kaja? Would you like to be alone in the woods?”

  Dante felt her small hand slip into his. She clutched the towel around her. Her smile had disappeared. “The First does not want me?”

  “First?” Beck asked.

  She inclined her head toward Dante. “Yes. I thought the First wished to mate with me. He allowed me intimacies. Do I not understand? Does he already have a mate? Our First is allowed to mate with any of the women. I am clean now. I will stay clean if that is what you require.”

  Her big eyes were killing him. What was it about this petite woman that got him in the gut? And the cock. Damn, she was beautiful. She was utterly different from any woman he’d met before.

  He put his hands under her arms and lifted her out of the water. The gnomes immediately took the filthy tub away. The new tub was ready. Dante could see everything he had asked for, including his Scotch. There was a glass of water for Kaja. “I do have a mate, though we use the word consort where I come from. You are my consort, Kaja.
I signed the papers a few moments ago. You legally belong to me. Do you understand?”

  Her smile was back, and this time there was a bright happiness to her face. Her chestnut brown hair was starting to curl up, and Dante couldn’t help but stare at the graceful line of her neck. “You claim me?”

  Dante gave into the temptation, touching her porcelain skin lightly. “I claim you, Kaja. I’ll take care of you.”

  “You don’t know what you’re saying,” Beck interjected.

  “Leave it, brother,” Cian said in a firm, authoritative voice. “Dante knows what he’s doing. If he doesn’t, he’ll figure it out. He’ll take care of her.”

  There was a long moment between the twins. Dante was surprised to see Beck back down. He nodded briefly. “All right, then. We’ll leave you to your wedding night. We’ve been given a tent next to this one. You only have to call out, and I will come, Dante.”

  “I don’t need you to save me from a woman, Beck.” Dante winced. It sounded whiny even to his own ears.

  Beck studied Kaja carefully. “I hope that’s all she is, cos. Come on, let’s go settle our wife in for the evening.”

  Cian grinned brightly. “Aye, she definitely needs some settling.”

  Meg shook her head but threw her husband an affectionate look. She crossed to Dante. “Are you sure about this?”

  “You, too, Meg? Don’t think I can handle her, do you?”

  “No, I was thinking of her, actually. She seems very innocent.”