The interior light flipped on.
She blinked, wincing as her eyes and then her head protested. “I am fine.”
He looked closer. “No mating allergy? Did you heal your temple?” He’d noticed she had bumped her head?
She tried to make herself as small as possible. “My head is healed, and I am not feeling the effects of any mating allergy.” The two soldiers across from them watched her. They both had dark hair that reached their shoulders, incredible aqua-colored eyes, and muscled bodies.
Benny sat back, giving her space. “Karma, please meet Ronan Kayrs and Quade Kayrs.” He pointed at the pilot. “That’s Garrett Kayrs—their great-great-nephew—or something like that. The Kayrs family reproduces like jackalopes, and it’s tough to keep their lineage straight.”
Garrett looked over his shoulder, his eyes mesmerizing. “There’s no such thing as jackalopes, and you know it.”
“I’ve seen one,” Benny countered instantly, resting his head back and shutting his eyes. More healing tingles emerged from him.
Garrett snorted and turned back to flying the craft.
Karma tried to take a deep breath, but her lungs refused to cooperate. Garrett Kayrs was the King of the Realm’s nephew, and the other two males were probably more than a thousand years old. All of the males in the helicopter were members of the Seven, whose goal was to kill every enhanced woman and then destroy Ulric.
“Do you know who we are?” Ronan asked, his eyes looking more green than blue.
“Yes. I’ve heard stories about the Seven and you.” She wasn’t a good liar, so why bother? “Are you going to kill me?”
Benny opened his eyes and turned his head to face her. “Kill you? We just saved you.”
Saved her for what? She didn’t want to know, but she had to ask. “What now?”
“Now we see the queen,” Benny said. “You’ll like her.”
The small interior swam around Karma, and she tried not to cry. The Queen of the Realm? She was the most frightening female alive on the planet. They were going to let the queen kill her.
She wasn’t ready to die.
Chapter Four
Rain beat down on them as Garrett landed the craft like a pro, and Benny opened the door and kicked out the steps, wishing he’d brought an umbrella. The weather at Realm Headquarters in northern Idaho was unpredictable in the fall, and rain seemed to be a constant. He jumped out and noted the SUV waiting by the landing strip with armed Realm soldiers at the ready. “I don’t think your uncle is happy to see us.”
Garrett, leaving the craft running, leaped out of the pilot’s seat. “Sure, he is.”
Right. Benny motioned Karma out, wanting to give her space. The woman had gone starkly pale, and she seemed to need distance. “Come on out, Karma. You’ll like the queen.”
If anything, Karma turned even paler. Yet she took the two steps down, looking as regal as any member of royalty. Her hair was still in that tight bun, and Benny itched to release it. The one time he’d met her before, she’d had her hair loose, and it had been a stunning mass of curls. Of course, they’d both been pretending to be somebody else at the time. Who knew the mating mark would appear on his hand after touching her?
She stood in the rain and lifted her face, letting the water sluice over her smooth skin. The lights from the nearest hangar highlighted her classic bone structure and hourglass figure.
He’d always liked a woman with decent hips and ass. She was short for him at maybe only five nine, but she had those curves. Delectable ones. “This way.” He turned toward the running SUV, his gaze focused on the nearest soldier. When they reached the overhang of the hangar, he relaxed as he made sure Karma stayed dry. “Hi, Max.”
Max Petrovsky was one of the king’s guard dogs, and Benny had always kind of liked him. Most immortals had a secondary eye color that emerged during dangerous or emotional moments, and Max’s were a very cool pink. “Hi.” He looked them over, gave Garrett a nod, and then set his feet. “You all need to be searched for weapons before I take you to the lodge.”
Garrett strode forward and clapped Max on the shoulder. “We’re armed, Uncle Max. No worries.”
Max’s nostrils flared, and he kept his gaze on Benny. “Benjamin?”
Figures Max would be okay with Garrett having weapons. “Just the usual. Gun at waist, in left boot, and thigh holster. Knives in all sorts of interesting places, and if you try to body cavity–search me, I might have to kill you.”
Max rolled his eyes. “I’d rather shoot myself, Reese.” His gaze gentled as he turned his attention to Karma. “How about you, miss?”
She slowly shook her head, standing in that completely still way she had. At least the eaves protected her from the weather.
The helicopter lifted into the air, and the ancient Kayrs brothers took off.
Max watched them go. “Good move. I don’t think Dage is all that happy with his great-uncles, considering you all won’t come clean about the Seven.”
Benny shrugged. It was frankly a miracle that the king hadn’t kidnapped Garrett and held him until he gave up the information, but Garrett was solid. He’d never tell. “Blood oaths and all of that. It’s raining. Let’s get going.” The Seven had taken a vow of secrecy, and the King and his Realm knew too much as it was.
Max frowned. “I’m sorry, but your friend is going to meet with the queen. I have to check her for weapons.”
The monster deep down inside Benny stretched lazily awake. “Oh, I don’t think so. You touch her, and we really will have a problem.” His blood started to hum with power.
Karma edged slightly closer to him as if unconsciously seeking protection. He stood straighter, willing and able to provide that for her. “You’re okay, darlin’. Nobody is gonna touch you—I promise.”
“Except the queen,” she whispered, her voice shaking.
Garrett sighed. “Yeah, that’s true. Maybe she’ll chase Benny with the syringe first. That’s always fun to watch.” It was the first joke the kid had made in way too long.
Benny grimaced. Ever since the marking had appeared on his hand, for a Kurjan Soti no less, the queen had been relentless in her zeal to test his blood. He’d let her fill vials a couple of times, and now that he had Karma near, the queen would no doubt come at him again. “Just wait, Kayrs. She’ll want your blood soon enough. You are a member of the Seven now, you know.” While the queen didn’t know the full truth about the Seven, she knew they existed, and she wanted to do all kinds of tests on them.
Garrett growled. “I’m not having blood taken until I get sleep and a decent breakfast.”