"Then what?" she asked curtly.

"It has ta do with mating." Was his voice rougher than it had been a moment ago? He forced himself to go on. She was going to hear it eventually anyway. "My kind has a single mate. Some refer to it as our companion." He glanced at her again. She was quiet, watching him diligently. "And we can only find 'em on the Winter Solstice-"

"The darkest day of the year," she chimed in. Kelvin tensed. The woman was quick.

"Aye."

She nodded, silently urging him to continue.

"There's no way ta find her, or... well, know for absolute certain it's our mate... until we attempt them." His hands were moving quicker on the rabbit. He didn't risk looking at her. Too busy cursing himself for getting onto this subject. So much for thinking things through before speaking.

"By 'attempt' you mean"-she tilted her neck, obviously seeking eye contact, but he didn't take his focus from his task-"you mean fuck," she finished. He flinched.

Why did he care about her knowing this? This was who he was. How he was built. Never in his long life had he been ashamed of his kind. Yet with the angelic stare of this small female upon him, he felt a little uneasy with his Pookah caste.

"The basic rule of nature is to acquire necessities to thrive," she said calmly. "Since reproducing is key to a mammal's survival, I assume, by what you've stated, the night of the Solstice is a busy one for you."

Kelvin snapped his head up, shocked by her simple logic and indifferent tone.

"And how is it you're made aware that one is your companion?" she asked, still seemingly unaffected.

"Ah... well..." How in the hell was he to say this? Any way he tried it was going to sound less than flattering. "There really is no way ta know without attempting them-"

"You mean fucking them," she interrupted, still no feeling in her words.

"In order ta find our match we have ta-"

"Fuck," she said again. "And since the only way to find her is by fucking, then you must fuck a lot."

Kelvin had just watched the prettiest mouth he'd ever laid eyes on say the dirtiest word in this realm, and damn if it didn't turn him on. What he'd give to hear her use such a word in reference to them. These newfound emotions of hers-dare he hope jealously-were making an appearance and he liked it. The previously prim Miss Campbell would never use such language.

"Are you no' takin' me seriously?" he asked. She made an odd psssh noise in response.

"Ah, not really. This all just sounds like an elaborate excuse for being a player."

He heard the disdain in her voice that time. And for some reason it bothered him. He didn't want her thinking the worst. "It's no' my choice. It's how my kind is. How all Razorbacks are."

She just shrugged. He was losing her again.

"Once we find 'em, though, we never desire another again." That got her to look at him. Kelvin saw her slight frame gently shiver.

"Fine." She crossed her arms. "But you still haven't said how you know when you find her."

He looked at her face, overcome anew by how lovely she was. "We bed 'em"-he held up his hand to stop her from interrupting with the word "fuck" again-"on the Solstice, and she will be the one we return to in the light."

She was silent for a long moment. He let her take in his words, hoping he wouldn't have to go into even more detail. The whole process of finding one's mate was tricky. There was one clause that he wanted to keep from her. A tiny detail about his breed that had never really bothered him until that moment.

Kelvin, like many Razorbacks, had been with a lot of women. However, once a Razorback slept with a woman and she wasn't his mate, which was likely, the Pookah would never desire that particular female again. But the moment he bedded his true and only female, a choice was made. A choice many Razorbacks feared as much as anticipated... one he could never come back from.

"The Solstice is the only time this can happen?"

"To find our companion, yes; it must be on the Solstice." He looked down at his bloody hands. How did he ever think this a wise idea? A millennium-year-old Pookah gabbing about his sex life with the most pure mortal left in this realm.

Bloody brilliant, Kel.

Where was Ian when he needed him? He would have already come up with a plan to extract information from this female. Instead, Kelvin was sitting here, gossiping like a schoolgirl about his sexual escapades.

For all of Ian's strengths, though, Kelvin held the upper hand when it came to harnessing the Pookah instinct. Old scrolls said that a Razorback would be drawn to his fated female and be able to deny her body until the Solstice, so that he might possess her for an eternity.

Despite his own belief, Ian didn't put much weight in the ancient writings of their ancestors. He didn't believe one could be "pulled" to another being. To be on the safe side, his brother generally avoided any woman unless he was absolutely certain there was no way she could be his companion. Kelvin shook his head slightly, feeling sorry for his brother. There was always a bloody consequence.

If a Razorback wasn't careful and slept with his fated female for the first time before the Solstice, he would relinquish her indefinitely and live a bleak existence, suffering the loss. Kelvin had lived more than a thousand years, not caring if he ever did find his female.

Looking at the woman across the fire, he now felt a ping in his chest.

There was always a consequence.

"What happens the other three hundred sixty-four days a year? Are you celibate?" Izel asked honestly.

He chuckled. "God, no." Her shoulders slumped. Christ, what was wrong with him? Was he trying to gain her trust or push her away? Tough to tell at this point.

Bloody fucking brilliant, you sod!

"The night still affects us year-round," he said, trying to double back on his earlier words. "The closer it gets ta the Solstice the stronger the effect."

There. Better.

She bit her bottom lip and looked to the ground. He could tell she was still curious. After all his verbal screwups, he hadn't completely run her off. "Do you just pick one woman the night of the Solstice and hope for the best?" A touch of naivete laced her tone.

Kelvin looked at the rabbit again, which was now ready to be put on the fire for roasting. "No' just one," he mumbled. He didn't have to look at her to know she was staring at him, jaw slack.

"So what?" she snapped. "You run around like a madman screwing every female in sight?" Her breaths began quickening, and he could feel the anger rolling off her. "And what if she doesn't want you, huh? What then? Do you just do it anyway?"

His eyes shot to her. "I've never forced myself on a woman! I just-" He shook his head. This conversation had gone so wrong. "The only reason I told ya this was so that ya understand the nights are getting longer and more difficult for me ta-"

"For you to what?" she sneered. "Keep control? Are you saying you want to 'attempt' me?" She mocked the last words. "You think to make me another notch in your bedpost? Well, you are out of luck, because I would never-"

"I have a pull from nature," he cut her off in a bored tone. It was time to end this. He'd gain answers from her another way. He didn't need her to like him. Didn't need her to trust him. Fated female or not, the fact remained that they were enemies. En-e-mies! It was time to start treating her like one.

"Donna get carried away. I would ne'er seek you out for anything more than a good throttling. You're a mere human. I am over a thousand years old, an immortal warrior. I have seen"-he looked her dead in the eye-"and fucked countless women. You are no' of my interest." With that, he jabbed a stick through the rabbit meat and held it over the fire.

His stare remained on the coals, unable to look at her. He kept his features harsh and bit down on his tongue to keep from taking back his words. His plan of gaining her trust had just horribly backfired.

She didn't say another word, just silently curled down on the ground, putting her back to him. Kelvin looked to the sky, running two fingers along his temple. He'd hurt her badly. Worse than that, he'd chosen to do so. He could have let her be. But he didn't.

I deserve to be gutted.

Chapter 6.

Izel tossed and turned on the plush leaves Kelvin had laid out for her. She was cold, hungry, and nearly sobbing. It had taken all the strength she had to keep from crying at Kelvin's earth-shattering insults.

She'd gotten caught up in a topic she knew nothing about, and she paid dearly for it. Of course, she wasn't upset by the fact that Kelvin had bedded an obscene number of women. Noooo, not bothered by it at all. And yet, despite her struggle to remain calm and return to her unfeeling self, her blood was racing and her body tense.

This is me, totally unaffected.

She rolled again, facing him. He was sitting against a tree, arms crossed over his chest, clinging to his daggers. Her gaze lingered at his thick biceps and meaty forearms. Even after his cruel tirade, her body still responded to him. That is going to change, she promised herself. She wanted nothing to do with this a-hole Pookah. And he wants nothing to do with me.

Good, fine, done. She would get a grip. As soon as they reached this castle, she would acquire the answers she sought, then go. And maybe, if she was lucky, she would find her grandfather, live a happy life, and maybe meet a nice man she could try out her new feelings of lust on.

Her gaze landed on Kelvin again. Although new to this whole "feeling" thing, she was pretty sure Kelvin was a man she should steer clear of despite her body's protest. He was the dark, dangerous kind of man her party friends back home would go for. Not Izel. Plus, he didn't want her... and had tried to kill her.

His sword lay next to him, the shining metal glinting in the moonlight. He took slow, even breaths. Glad someone could sleep. Dawn was only a few hours off, and Izel contemplated running. Sure, she'd be unprotected, but maybe she could find her grandfather's clan on her own. Surely she didn't need Kelvin. Okay, maybe she needed him, but she certainly didn't want him. Still, with a stroke of luck and a headlong sprint, she might stumble upon another Fionn and ditch this Pookah once and for all.

Or run into a bloodthirsty psycho mass murderer.

Was she really considering fleeing? Purposefully putting herself in harm's way just to get away from Kelvin? Did his snarky, totally jerkish words really hurt her that badly? She flinched, recalling what he'd said. Yes... they did.

A noise that sounded a lot like footsteps came from the distance. Her gaze shot to the dense trees just a few yards beyond. Branches rustled slightly and she peered harder, straining to see. Stupid, useless human eyesight. Holding her breath, she internally muttered, It's just the wind. Don't freak out. It's just the- Her eyes shot wide when she caught a glimpse of the creature in the distance.

Kelvin awoke to Izel's potent human scent, fading. Across the fire, he saw the pallet he'd made for her, but the human was not upon it.

"Damn," he mumbled, rising to his feet. Shaking his head, he sheathed his sword and one dagger. A blade in his hand, he lifted his head to the light breeze, easily catching her trail. He sprinted after her.

His blood boiled beneath his skin. He didn't know if he was angrier at Izel or himself. Had he not warned her? Told her never to part from him? It was a useless effort; she couldn't get away. Already he was closing in on her, her scent becoming stronger with every stride he took.

Why would she take off? She knew his protection was essential to her survival. It stood to reason that his hateful words were behind her incentive to run. Should he have said what he had? Probably not. For it was not only an outright lie, it actually caused him physical pain. Jesus, what was wrong with him? He didn't care about Izel's feelings. He had never been one to sit and ponder such things. Yet here he was, once again, worried about the human. He was about ready to carve at his own body. Traitorous sack of skin!

Branches slapped against his forearms and chest as he bolted through the trees. As the soft, mossy earth sloshed beneath his long strides, he reminded himself once more that he didn't want this woman, this enemy.

But his whole being was fighting him, his mind whispering that she was his-desiring her more than any other woman he'd ever laid eyes on. To deny her was like denying his lungs air. It hurt. And his body screamed in protest.

Damn this! Kelvin had fought thousands, maybe millions of men in battle, but how was he supposed to fight himself, his instinct? He shouldn't care if the woman was grieving but try to understand the purpose behind her fleeing. She'd left him when he told her not to. He should be thinking of how to punish her, not of how she felt.

Kelvin came to a dead halt when he caught the scent of something unique. Something rare. He breathed deep the creature's scent. Dread settled heavy on him. Alp.

He muttered a curse. Izel had been lured by an Alp, the single most difficult creature to kill. Alps could shape-shift into anything or anyone. They could delve into one's mind, stealing thoughts and memories. For Christ's sake, they could do it all. Thankfully, there were very few of them. Over the years, many beings had hunted Alps with the goal of extinguishing them completely. They had too much power for a typical immortal's comfort, and the worst thing about Alps was that they, like most creatures in these parts, fed on blood and flesh.

With the night air pricking his skin and the darkness blanketing his body, a rush of fury coursed through Kelvin's veins. The need to protect her, to maim any creature that threatened her, to kill.

He needed to kill.

The darkness sank into his pores. The black night seeped deep into his body. He was hit with a jolt of power and it felt so good. Between the inky night and her intoxicating essence, Kelvin grew stronger than he ever had been before. His veins opened, pumping more blood into his muscles. His claws elongated, sharpened. As if readying to slash through any being that kept him from what he wanted. And what he wanted was his green-eyed mortal.

He'd lived through hundreds of winter solstices. Always soaking up the vitality the long nights gave him; reveling in it. But never had it been like this. He was being completely taken over. As if all his vigor and intensity were meant for her.

He ran. Only a few yards off, just beyond the trees, and there she was, standing in the middle of a small clearing, bright stars shining upon her. Kelvin crouched in the bushes, scanning the area. She appeared to be alone, but when dealing with an Alp, one never knew for certain.

Good Christ, she was breathtaking. He knelt, marveling at her beauty. Happy to just watch the moonlight dance over her flawless skin. And he'd said she didn't interest him. What a stupid man he was. Because here he was, awestruck, his chest actually aching.

So lovely it pains me.

She stood perfectly still, seemingly entranced by something on the opposite side of the clearing. He suspected it was the Alp that held her gaze. It could be rifling through her thoughts right now. If only he could get a look at it-what in the bloody hell?

It was the Mystic, Euan Campbell, in the flesh.

He emerged from the trees and stepped toward her. She appeared transfixed. After a moment, Kelvin realized it wasn't the real Euan Campbell. He could scent it. The Alp must have pulled a memory from Izel's mind and projected what she wanted to see. The fucker was baiting her, luring her in.

Kelvin clutched his dagger, readying to strike. He'd have to be quick. Having the element of surprise on his side was his greatest tool. Although Alps could dissipate abruptly, their five senses were weak. If Kelvin moved fast enough, the little shite may not even see him coming.

The creature reached out for Izel. Anger spiked Kelvin.

He thinks to touch my human? Over my dead body!

He leaped from the shrubs. Quicker than he'd ever moved before he unsheathed his sword while jabbing his dagger at the Alp's heart. Just as the blade pierced the creature's chest, it disappeared.

Not fast enough.

Kelvin flung Izel behind him. With his back to her, he held both weapons, slowly circling around her, waiting for the Alp to reappear.

"What are you doing!" she cried. "That's my grandfather!" She shoved at his back, trying to get past him.

"Nay," he snapped, not allowing her to move. "It's an Alp. Now stay behind me." His eyes darted quickly, searching everywhere. The Alp could be anything, be anywhere. Christ, it could be a bloody moth circling them right now.

"No, it's him." She continued to struggle against Kelvin.

"Izel!" he growled, looking over his shoulder. "Trust me in this."

She instantly stilled, all hope leaving her eyes. Turning back and flicking his sword in his hand, Kelvin continued hovering around his woman. Ready. Waiting. The sound of Izel choking back tears made his chest tighten. She had to be so confused, so lost. And God knows she had no reason to trust him.

Just when Kelvin thought she'd fight him, he instead felt her warm palm rest on his back. He couldn't risk looking at her. The ragged breaths she took and the way her small hand trembled against his shoulder let him know she was scared. But if he turned back and actually saw fear in her lovely green eyes, he'd undoubtedly drop his sword and draw her into his arms.

Yes, eyes forward. He needed to stay focused. Although he had given her little reason to believe in him, for whatever reason, in that moment, she chose to. And he would not fail her.

Kelvin scented her anxiety, yet she remained silent. Suddenly the Alp appeared behind Izel, snatching her waist, pulling her away. She screamed and Kelvin spun, raised his dagger to slash the creature, but stopped midswing when he saw the Alp take his true form. Long, black nails sprouted from saffron-colored hands. Its putrid skin smelled of sulfur. It slid its sharp claws around her neck.

"Aht, aht, ah Pookah," the creature tsked while wagging his finger. Izel gasped when the sickly palm on her throat squeezed. Kelvin saw red.

The Alp's yellow flesh was littered with rot and open sores. His eyes and fangs were black and oozed a foul-smelling bile. Kelvin was grateful Izel couldn't see the grotesque creature at her back. He kept his eyes locked on the Alp's hands. One flick of his wrist and the creature could snap Izel's neck.

Kelvin tensed. His muscles flexed, hand gripping his dagger.