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***Christian's POV***

I wake to a soft knock. I hadn't even realized we fell asleep.

Standing carefully and removing Josie's tangled limbs, I wipe the sleep from my eyes. Everything from today comes rushing back like white water rapids.

I walk to the door already sensing our Sire is on the other side. He better have come to fix it.

"Yes?" I ask. I prop myself in my door frame to block Tony from entering.

"I owe you both an apology." Tony lowers his head. Good start.

"Yep." I pop the pesky p.

"I am sorry. I think I am just losing control. I want to turn him so badly. Every second that he touches you, it makes my non existent blood boil." Tony wipes his hands over his face.

"I totally understand that Sire. But, it's not me you have to convince." I move back into the room to let Tony start groveling.

He walks over to my bed and kneels beside Josie.

"Love. Please wake. I need to talk." Tony places a gentle kiss on Josie's petite hand and stirs the boy immediately.

Josie jumps into Tony's arms and hides in his chest. A sigh leaves our Sire's mouth. He wraps his arms around Josie and turns to sit on the bed. His fingers caress Josie's still wet cheeks. The boy had cried through the whole movie.

"Love. I am so very sorry. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me. I reacted terribly. I should not have gotten upset with you. You did ask for permission, which I blindly gave. That is on me. It is not at all on you, kitten." Tony stares down on Josie with sorrowful eyes that glaze over in absolute adoration for his beloved.

"I wasn't angry at you Sire. I missed you." Tony nuzzles into Josie's neck and kisses the tender flesh.

"You're more than alluring. I want so badly to claim you." Tony sniffs deeply and I watch as his fangs protrude slightly, glistening with venom.

"I wouldn't mind being your claim." Josie giggles as Tony softly grazes his fangs against the pulse in Josie's neck.

"I can't. Not just yet. But, hell if I don't want to taste your blood upon my tongue." Tony laps his tongue across the thick pulse. I can smell the sweet fluid as it pushes harder into Josie's veins. Tony is rawling him up.

"Maybe we can just improvise." Josie's words are a desperate pant. He drops his head back, exposing his neck to our Sire.

"I think so." Tony grips his tiny butt and works over his muscles. I hold back a smirk as Josie plays fiddle with Tony's strings.

"Ahem." I fake a cough and clear my throat. They can do as they please, in Tony's bed. Mine isn't being tainted, by them.

"Sorry." Josie moans out the word. Christ.

"I have an idea." I wave my hand in the air sheepishly.

"Yes." Tony looks up from Josie while he talks across his skin.

"Feed off of him. Then um, make out and stuff." I clear my throat, suddenly feeling abashed.

"Yes. Sire, yes. Feed and play. Please." Josie grabs Tony's face and pecks his lips.

"Sounds good. But, we must do so after our guest leaves. I know she is on our territory. I feel it." Tony stands and walks towards my door with Josie in his arms.

I don't miss the twin tents.

"Oh, Christian. Come. I want to meet my new best friend." Josie all but forgets he was seconds away from mating in my bed.

"Calm, little one. I am right behind you." I walk a few feet back with a smirk on my lips. I wonder if Tony even realizes how well Josie plays him.

Probably not.

When we reach the kitchen, I put on a pot of coffee in the Ninja. If I use the Keurig, I will be making single cups all night.

As the last cup is ready, I place the four of them at the table and take a seat.

I can smell Leah. She is hovering at the back door.

"Josie, would you like to get our guest?" Tony places Josie on his feet. Josie smiles widely and walks to the door that is mere feet from where we sit.

Josie opens then door and Leah stands covering her face. Her body is shifted half way towards the door. The other half looks as if she is positioned to bolt.

"Don't be afraid. We don't bite. I mean they do. But, it takes a lot of convincing." Josie giggles and the most melodic sound comes from my beloved's throat. I could just lull to sleep at the tone.

Josie takes her hand gently and brings her to the table. I stand quickly and pull her chair before helping to her seat. Without pause, I kiss the back of her hand and offer a grin.

Her flesh taste like lilac and honey.

"I'm Christian, if you do not remember." My tone seeps back to ancient and I wonder if its the right one.

"Leah. Nice to meet you." Leah blushes and I want to awe. She's gorgeous.

"I'm Josie, Christian's best friend. This is my beloved Tony." Josie takes a seat in Tony's lap and situates himself.

"Is it just the four of you?" Leah is soft spoken. If I wasn't a vampire, I may miss some of her words. Josie must be struggling.

"No. We have about 20 other occupants, newborns." I offer the information.

"20 babies. Wow they are quiet." Leah looks around the room, confounded.

"Leah, you realize they are vampires. This is our manor. Newborns are recently turned vampires." Josie fills in the gap of information.

"I apologize. Yes. I do know you are a night walkers. I just did not realize the technical terms." Leah smiles and picks up her coffee.

"Night Walkers?" I smirk. That's a mythical term if I ever heard one.

"Well, I'm a cat. So." Leah giggles.

"Panthera Uncia, You are a snow leopard. Have a bit of pride." Josie shows off.

"Yes. I am a snow leopard, when I can be." Leah smiles again. I could get used to that.

"You sure know your big cats." Leah presents the praise to my best friend.

"That's because I am obsessed." Josie smiles and waves his hand non chalantly.

"Well, I suppose you have questions for me?" Leah directs her statement at me. I do.

"Are you in danger?" My first thought is her safety. It's who I am.

"Not exactly. But, perhaps." Leah sighs and drinks from her cup once again.

"That's a conundrum." Josie props his hands on his chin. He leans on his elbows.

"Well, it is a bit of an issue. Danger, only if you see it from that perspective." Leah blows out a breath. It takes a wisp of her hair and catapults it up towards the top of her head.

"Anything we can help with?" Tony offers.

"Maybe I should tell you the whole story." Leah sits back in the chair and makes herself comfortable. Although, she looks completely stiff.

"That would be ideal." Josie winks at my beloved.

"I'm betrothed." The words come off her lips in a hiss. It sounds nothing like the growl that breaks from my chest.

"You're mate is in front of you." Josie looks between the two of us. His eyes bounce and his brows furrow.

"That's the least challenging aspect." Leah waves off the information with a silent duh.

"So you are aware we are fated to one another?" I question. If she grasps that's, the rest could be dealt with.

"I'm not a fool Christian. By the way, I haven't been running from you." Leah closes her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose.

"I hate to be pushy. I am. I will be. But, I don't like it. Either way, what's the issue?" Tony grows weary of the circular dialect.

"I was sold. On the um, black market. To the King of the Jungle, you may say." Leah opens her eyes, gauging our reaction.

"Nothing a double barrel can't handle." Josie let's the words slip out like honey dripping from his lips.

"It's a bit more complicated." Leah wrings her hands and swipes at the sweat building on her forehead.

"It can't be much more complicated." Josie rolls his eyes and crosses his arms over his chest. Tony wraps his arms around his beloved's waist. He pulls him tightly to his chest.

"The wedding is in just three days. He has yet to find me since my escape. He has a bounty on me. Dead or alive, he does not have a preference." Leah drops her shoulders and covers her face.

I can feel her heart picking up pace.

"Christian. Just buy her back." Josie makes it seem so simple.

"Oh sweetie. You're precious. This is not about me. This is about pride. I spit on him in front of the auction house. Everyone saw. He seeks to break me. Punish me. I have become his greatest challenge." Leah looks at her phone and I notice the subtle shift of her body in her seat.

"Are you about to disappear?" I make the assumption. It's an easy guess judging by our earlier encounters.

"I can only run so fast. I must not stay anywhere too long. They are trailing me." Leah stands up and I follow.

"We can protect you. I mean, they can." Josie is in a hurry to straighten everything out.

"As much as I would like that, you do not owe me a thing. I would rather not owe you." Leah puts her hand on the door and turns back towards me.

"It was nice meeting you Christian. If I don't see you again, I would like you to know that it's not because of you." With that, my beloved slips through the door and into the night.

It's as if nothing has happened at all. One minute she is sitting in our kitchen, the next she has vanished into thin air.

I scan outside for her, anything. But, I am met with emptiness and a midnight sky full of twinkling stars.

"This won't do." Josie comes to stand beside me. He stares at me in all his perfection.

"Did I miss the butterflies and fireworks? That has to be the most mundane meeting of soul mates." I talk outside of the door. I guess I'm in total shock.

"She has a lot of stress. I assure you it's nothing personal." Tony gently cups his hand over my shoulder.

"I could give a shit less about me. No way in hell my beloved is marrying Ryder Collins. That bastard is an ass hat." I turn and glare at Tony.

The King of the Jungle is worse than Prince John in Robin Hood. He feeds his beast by bedding innocents and ripping apart anyone in his way.

"I will speak with our Brigade. We will find a way to stop it." Tony gives me a solemn promise with a nod of his head.

"We have only three days." Josie holds up three fingers and shakes his head.

"Dear kitten. We are not weak. Do give us some credit." Tony takes his hand and cups his beloved's chin. Josie nods in acceptance.

"Well, we have another issue." I relinquish. Things aren't nearly as cut and dry as we would hope.

While we have numbers and strength beyond measure, we have a human in our midst who must be accounted for.

"What's that?" Josie closes the door, locking it before turning around.

"You." I point to the naive boy.

"What have I got to do with this?" Josie crosses those thin arms over his chest and taps his foot impatiently.

"You are a human in a house full of vampires. We will be taking on the King and half the forest. If not more. You cannot be left to fall victim to an attack." I have to wonder if I am the only one that has thought that part through.

"Change me!" Josie smiles broadly as if it is all so simple. I wish.

"There isn't enough time love. We could turn you. You would be strong, however you would be vulnerable as you have had no training." Tony tries to administer the news as gently as possible.

"Then stall. Change me. Train me." Josie really has a one tracked mind.

"That won't do. We will need to think of something less rash." Tony has his mind up.

"Why do I feel like you are making excuses not to turn me?" Josie glares at Tony with a challenging look of determination.

"Because Love, you have a one tracked mind. It is nothing farther from the truth. The sooner I can change you, the sooner I can have you in every single way. Believe me, I am not stalling for the reasons you are eluding to. Your safety is my only concern at the moment."

"Fine. But, if you find a reason to stall after this, just know that you will find yourself in a very unhappy predicament." Josie turns and takes the coffee cups to the sink. His little lips mumble incoherently, displaying his displeasure.

"I liked him better when he was passive." Tony sighs and reaches for a glass. He pulls down the Brandy.

"That was an act for your benefit. Your little Academy Actor has many. It would be in your best interest to study them." I chuckle. Josie is far from passive. He can be downright stubborn, as a mule.

"I'm glad you're amused." Tony pats my arm and hands me a drink.

"So, time to make a plan." Tony clinks his glass against mine and we take a long pull from the glass.

Not exactly how I pictured my first day with my fated love.