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fool yourself. She also soothes your soul, fills the empty places inside of you. You covet her. You want her.
    “I speak the ancient words and it will be so.” Rejection was pretty straightforward.
    She looked up at him, her forest-green eyes piercing him. “Will I remember this after it’s over?”
    Daric clenched his jaw, the thought of Hannah going about her normal life, not remembering who she belonged to, wasn’t sitting well with him. “No. Our ties will be broken and you won’t be attracted to me, won’t remember even meeting me.” Fuck. That thought nearly killed him.
    “If I meet you in the future, I’ll still find you attractive,” she mused, her brow wrinkling in thought.
    “You’ll feel differently,” he answered her gruffly, irritated by that fact and not wanting to think about meeting her in the future. Right now, he could sense her longing, her desire. Although it drove him insane, made him want nothing more than to pleasure her until she was crying out his name in ecstasy, he knew she would feel differently after their ties were broken. And, dammit, it rankled.
    “I was attracted to your voice when you called in your order. Something about you made me hot and bothered, even on the phone. Is that why? Because of the mate thing?” She tilted her head to one side, giving him a questioning look.
    “No. Not then. I hadn’t acknowledged you as my mate.”
    She shrugged. “Guess it was just your sexy voice that set my panties on fire.”
    Daric took a healthy sip of his wine, nearly choking on it, as her comment registered. Over the last few hours of discussion between the two of them, Daric had quickly learned that Hannah wasn’t coy, saying whatever she was thinking. He didn’t respond, knowing if he thought about the sexy lingerie he’d paid the penalty to see, he’d have her pinned to the floor and out of those barely-there panties in seconds.
    Thankfully she continued on another subject. “If we’re mates, why can’t I read your mind, see your thoughts?”
    “I’m royal. It doesn’t happen naturally. I have to allow you access.” Thank God she wasn’t going to be his mate or he would have to allow her access, and his mind wasn’t exactly filled with rainbows and sunshine. More like violent storms and eternal darkness.
    “You said you were the last surviving royalty. Wouldn’t that make you King? And who’s the King of the other vampires?” she asked, her voice inquisitive, curious.
    “The general population of vampires is regulated by a council of elders. Only the healers have a royal family.” He sighed before continuing, “Vampire healers are powerful, requiring someone more powerful than they are to keep them in check at times. There are those who would suffer the pain of backlash or penalty to do things that shouldn’t be done by a healer.”
    “What if the royals are tempted to evil?”
    It was an intelligent question, but it still irritated him, “There has been a Carvillius ruling for thousands of years. We are not tempted to evil.” He paused before he admitted, “We are ruled by ancient magic. There are some things that even royalty is not allowed to do. That’s why my father died. He was King. Should still be King. He died trying to save my brother, Nolan, who was dying of mating conflict. He drained all of his power into Nolan’s dying body in his grief and madness, an act that is not allowed without penalty of death.”
    “Why?” she asked in a hushed voice.
    “To keep the rulers in check. Transfer of power or magic is not allowed. I suppose because a ruler could steal power if he were capable, or give away power to another being in exchange for something he desired, making him less capable of ruling. It upsets the balance.”
    “I don’t understand why your brother didn’t just reject his mate like you’re going to do,” Hannah said pensively, her finger tracing the patterns on her wine glass.
    “He wanted her. He wasn’t capable. But she