Page 13 of Dark Rebel's Reckoning

"What did he want with us?" Fenella asked.

"To find out what made us immortal," Kyra answered and then looked at Jasmine. "Am I right?"

Jasmine nodded. "That's what we suspect, but we will know more once we interrogate him."

Kyra's blood froze in her veins. "Is he here?"

"Don't worry about him," Max said. "I put him in stasis. We are not going to revive him until we lock him up in the dungeon, and then it will be my pleasure to beat every last scrap of information out of him. You will get your answers."

Kyra inclined her head, letting the magnitude of the revelations settle. "Thank you. Can I be there to watch?"

Max grinned as if she had given him the greatest of compliments. "It would be my pleasure to give you a show. I hope you are not squeamish."

She snorted. "If I ever was, I got over it a long time ago."

8

MAX

Max had thought he was falling for Kyra before, but he knew that for sure.

Putting a hand over his chest, he sighed dramatically. "I have found my soulmate."

Kyra laughed, the first laugh he'd heard from her, and at that moment, he vowed to make her laugh as often as he could.

Jasmine regarded him with a small smile playing on her lips. "Soulmates is not something immortals joke about, Max."

"Who said I was joking?"

She didn't look amused. "I'm far from being an expert on post-traumatic issues, but I'm pretty sure that neither my mother nor Fenella are in the right state of mind to evaluate things of that nature."

He had to appreciate Jasmine's verbal gymnastics, trying to tell him to fuck off and not hit on traumatized women who were in a vulnerable state without actually saying that.

"It's okay, Jasmine." Kyra put her hand on her daughter's arm. "I know that Max is just teasing, and I like how it makes me feel. He doesn't treat me like a victim, and that makes me feel more like myself. Normal." She glanced at Fenella. "I can only speak for myself, though. I didn't spend as much time in captivity as you did, so your response might be different. If Max's banter rubs you the wrong way, say so."

Okay, so now he was falling even deeper in love with the woman. Where had she been all his life?

"I don't mind," Fenella murmured. "He's always been an asshole, so I shouldn't expect anything different now." She gave him a saccharine smile. "No offense, Max. I'm grateful for the rescue, and I fully appreciate you being one hell of a fighter to pull it off, but you were never boyfriend material. Not for me, anyway."

He could live with that. Fenella wasn't his favorite person either, but he was too much of a gentleman to return the favor and tell her so, especially after all she'd been through.

He could, however, make her feel guilty. "Don't forget that I made you immortal, so now you have forever to find your perfect match."

Kyra shifted in her seat. "I really need to use the restroom."

He rose to his feet. "I'll help you."

She shook her head. "Thank you, but despite your declaration of undying devotion, I prefer to have Jasmine help me."

Pouting, he put a hand over his chest again. "You wound me."

She laughed, which made his heart do a silly little flip. "You'll live."

Jasmine rose and headed to where Ell-rom had deposited the clothes he'd scavenged. "Let's see if we can use any of these."

"I'm good," Kyra said as she moved the blanket aside. "This sweater is like a dress." She smiled at Max. "Thank you for loaning it to me."

"You're welcome, and it's yours if you want it. A memento from the rescue."

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