Page 16 of Rejected Mate

I ignored his advice, taking this moment to ask the question that had been on my mind since we arrived. “What happened to the shifter males?”

Ares coughed. “Excuse me?”

I doubled down. “The shifter males that we were supposed to meet here before you took over. What happened to them?”

Ares’s eyes darted up as if looking around for someone. Seeming satisfied, he smoothed his face out and whispered. “They are safe.”

“Safe where?” I demanded.

He adjusted his tie and then talked in a hushed tone. “They were subdued and then sent home. They were not hurt. However, we may be if we keep talking about this.” He smiled lightly and raised his voice. “Drink, Wren. The wine is delicious.”

Hmm. Interesting. He was willing to answer me, but only if no one else could hear. Or was it simply a ploy for me to think he was telling the truth while lying through his very sharp teeth? While I mulled this over, my eyes focused on the cameraman who was slowly walking around the table, filming.

“Tomorrow there will be a game to determine first dates,” a booming male voice announced.

Soon, they were turning the camera lens in our direction.

A vampire in a jacket that said “Director” on the lapel stood behind the camera and addressed us as if we were old friends, even though I’d never seen him before today.

“Ares, Wren, tell us what you think about competing in these games.”

Ares opened his mouth to answer, but I knew this was my one shot.

“The vampires are weak,” I shouted into the camera. “Their elders are dying and the vampires they turn are—”

There was awhoosh, then hands wrapped around me, pulled me to my feet, and twirled me around. I expected to be clapped in handcuffs.

What I didn’t expect was for Ares to pull me into an embrace and kiss me full on the mouth.

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