Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 39991 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 200(@200wpm)___ 160(@250wpm)___ 133(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39991 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 200(@200wpm)___ 160(@250wpm)___ 133(@300wpm)
Phillip’s eyes flickered with disappointment, but all he did was give Ivor a smile. “Lucky man.”
Ivor patted Phillip on the arm and silently slipped away. He went outside and took a deep breath of the cold air before getting into his car. He pounded his hands on the steering wheel. “Fuck!”
Hoping Dax had already left the dinner at Protective Solutions, he called his friend.
“Hey, Ivor,” Dax said. “I looked for you to say goodbye, but Emory said you went out to feed.”
Ivor started his car and turned up the heat before settling back in his seat. “You got a few minutes to talk? Are you home?”
“I am, and of course I do. I can hear something in your voice. Are you okay?”
He shook his head, even though Dax couldn’t see him. “No, I’m not. I just went out to feed, and I couldn’t do it.”
There was a moment of silence. “What do you mean? Your magic didn’t absorb the sex?”
“No, I couldn’t even get that far. I had the sexiest guy ready to go, and I couldn’t bring myself to touch him. This has never happened to me before, and I honestly don’t know what to do about it.”
Dax was silent a few moments before he sighed loudly. “Ivor, I watched you with Rowan tonight. You barely took your eyes off him, so it’s obviously him you want. And he returns your interest. Why don’t you just feed on him?”
Ivor didn’t respond right away, trying to put his confused thoughts into words. It all came down to one thing, though. “I’m terrified.”
“Of what?”
“He feels like…more to me. I could sleep with him, but I have the strongest feeling it wouldn’t be just sex.”
“You think he’s your soulmate?”
“I do. But you know I can’t be with just one human. I told you what happened when I tried that before. If something happened to Rowan, I think… I think it would kill me.”
“Listen to me,” Dax said, voice dropping low. “If Rowan is your soulmate, he’ll change to complement your magic. Everett did.”
“But how did you know for sure?”
“With him, I didn’t even think he could be, but with all my heart, I knew he was the one. But Ivor, Rowan sees us. He obviously has the potential to be a soulmate, and if the way you two watch each other is anything to go by, there really is no doubt. Not if you’re this drawn to him. So drawn you can’t bear to sleep with anyone else.”
“I kissed him tonight,” Ivor confessed, “and it was incredible—something I’ve never felt before. But I could also feel how much it affected him.”
“That’s how it is with Everett. Congratulations, because I’m pretty sure another one of us is settling down. I know you wanted this, Ivor. I’m happy for you. There’s nothing like being with your soulmate. Nothing.” He paused. “How bad is your magic right now? Can you hold off until you two aren’t surrounded by so many people?”
“I can for a little while. But it’s not just that. I don’t want to use him. I want to be with him because we just want each other. I’d try to explain that better, but I can tell you already know how it feels. I’m sorry I haven’t called to give you your own congratulations. I’m so very happy for you, Dax, because out of the three of us, you wanted a soulmate the most.”
“I don’t know about that. I think your desire for one runs just as deep. Emory, on the other hand…”
Ivor laughed. “Yeah, he wants nothing to with one forever person. I have the feeling when it happens for him, it’s going to be huge.”
“No doubt.” Rustling sounds came over the line, and then he heard Dax quietly murmuring. He grinned because he had the feeling Everett had just distracted Dax.
“I should let you go,” Ivor said.
“I really am happy for you, Ivor, and Rowan seems like a wonderful person.”
“He’s just…perfect.”
“Then you have your answer. Be with him. If he’s your soulmate—and I sincerely believe he is—then he will adapt when you bond, and you won’t ever have to feed from anyone else again. Sure you won’t miss all that variety?”
“I won’t. I just know that he’s going to be everything to me. I want him so much I can barely think about anything else.”
“As it should be.”
They said goodbye, and Ivor sat in the parking lot for a long time before he drove to his apartment for a shower and to grab some more clothes. When he got back to the office, Rowan was already shut away in the office he was using, so Ivor went to the couch in the office next door, changed into some sweats, and lay down. He ended up staring at the dark ceiling for hours.