He was not amused. “All right, let’s get the treaty going,” Paxton said, in no mood to deal with any levity. He had a nation to fix. He looked at Hope. “We’re going to need to bring the Kurjans into the modern age, and it’s not going to be easy. Are you on board?”
She looked up, her eyes gleaming. “Oh, I am so on board. I can’t wait to liberate the Kurjan females. I’m sure it’ll be difficult, but they deserve freedom.” She glanced at her father and then back at Paxton. “Some of them may not want to remain mated, and we’ll need to offer them the virus that negates the mating bond. That is going to cause all sorts of problems within the Kurjan ranks.”
“I’m aware,” Paxton said. “But I agree. Everyone gets a choice, and that’s the first thing we’re going to change when we get there. The soldiers and the Cyst also get a choice. Every single one of them can leave without repercussion. Just like the soldiers earlier today.”
“They’ll form a group, and they’ll fight you,” Zane said quietly.
“I know,” Paxton said. “But it’s their right and their freedom to do so.” He wasn’t going to hold anybody captive.
“Agreed,” Dage said, admiration in his eyes. “Plus, once we sign a treaty, you’ll have the full force of the Realm behind you.”
Paxton nodded. “I’ll need it. Hope, will you negotiate with the Realm on behalf of the Kurjan nation?”
She hopped in her seat. “Absolutely.”
“Hey,” Zane said. “She’s the best strategic mind we have.”
“She’s mine now,” Paxton said.
Zane’s eyes hardened. Yeah, they hadn’t really talked about that, now had they?
The door opened and Emma walked in. Everyone stiffened. She looked harried with her beautiful black hair wild around her head and her blue eyes frazzled. She wore faded jeans, white tennis shoes, and a T-shirt with a very faded Big Bird on the front. Her lab coat was askew. “Hi. Okay, so I conducted a myriad of tests on the captured females.”
Paxton stiffened. “Are they okay?”
“Yes,” she said, frowning. “However, I believe the compound injected into them makes it impossible for them to be mated by anybody but a Kurjan. As far as I can tell. It’s not like I’ve had live tests done.”
Paxton frowned. “Sounds like just the kind of sick thing Ulric would think of.”
“But why?” Jordan asked.
“The legend said that Ulric wanted to kill all enhanced females in order to hurt the Realm,” Pax mused. “This doesn’t kill them but makes them only useful to the Kurjans.” It was an evil and pretty brilliant plot, really. “The Realm needs enhanced females for mates. Sure, vampires and demons can mate with other immortals, but there aren’t that many out there. If all enhanced females were off the table, theoretically most demons and vampires and even shifters would slowly die out. It’s a long game, but Ulric believed he had all the time in the world.”
Hope shook her head. “But how did he know it could be done? I mean, these legends go way back, and we’re talking about current science.”
“Yes,” Emma said slowly. “But the injections are full of his blood. It has always come down to Ulric and his blood because it had properties found in no other being. The same technique they used to program Dessie and those other assassins to kill could be used to alter enhanced females on a genetic level.”
“Can you reverse it?” Paxton asked quietly.
Emma rubbed a temple with her right palm. “I’m still learning about Ulric’s blood. I don’t know if I can reverse the damage or not. From what we can tell, there have been about one hundred fifty enhanced females affected by this.”
“That’s a lot,” Dage muttered. “There aren’t that many enhanced females out there.”
“Right,” Emma said. “If the ability to mate only with Kurjans is genetically transferred to offspring, there could be thousands of future enhanced females affected. I don’t know enough about the Kurjan forces, Paxton, but their scientists, your scientists, enacted this program. Hopefully, they’ll help reverse it.”
He could guarantee they would, like it or not. “They will if they want to stay in the nation.”
“Good.” Emma smiled, patted his shoulder, and turned. “All right, back to the lab.” She was gone as quickly as she had arrived.
“That’s one question answered, at least,” Dage said. “Are you ready for this, Paxton?”
“I don’t know,” he said honestly.
Dage and Zane laughed again.
He rolled his eyes and stood. “All right, it’s well after midnight. Let’s meet again in the morning. Come on, Hope. You need sleep.”
Zane tilted his head. “I’d like a word with you, Paxton.”
Hope jerked and looked up at her father. “Hey, I—”
“Thanks, Hope. I’ll see you later,” her dad said.
Garrett slung an arm over her shoulders and all but dragged her from the room. “There’s ice cream in the fridge. Let’s go,” he said. The rest of the group filed out, leaving Zane and Paxton.
Paxton sighed. “Listen, I’m sure the last person in the world you wanted your daughter to mate was a Kurjan hybrid. But she’s mine, Zane, and I’m not letting her go.” He looked up and faced the king of the demon nation squarely.
Zane studied him for a minute and then slowly smiled. “Paxton, I’ve always liked you. You know that. I’ve always seen a good future for you and Hope, and I’m glad you’re finally together. You have my full support, and I know you’ll keep my baby girl safe.”
Paxton didn’t react visibly, but something exploded deep within him. “I’ll move this entire world to keep her safe.”
“That’s all I wanted. Welcome to the family, son.” Zane stood.
Surprising emotion welled up in Paxton, and damn if his eyes didn’t sting. “Thanks.”
Zane met him at the door and slung an arm over his shoulders. “Come on, let’s get to the ice cream before Garrett eats it all.”
Hope snuggled down in the warm bed next to Paxton, her body slightly sore from an energetic bout of naked Paxton. He was sexy in a way she had never dreamed, and he was all hers. “How’d it go with my dad?” she mumbled.
“Surprisingly well.” He ran a hand from her neck to her breasts, as he seemed to like to do, tracing the lines of the mating marking. “He seems to have always thought we’d be together.”
“I think most people did,” she said. “I should have seen it earlier, but I was caught up in the prophecy, and fate, and that stupid green book.”
His hand was warm and already arousing her. Again. “Well, my little prophet,” he said, “I’m sure there’s a lot more you have to do. I don’t think you get to fulfill just one prophecy.”
“I know,” she said. “But for a while, we have a lot of work in front of us reforming the Kurjan nation.” She couldn’t wait. She was so excited to assist those women who needed it, and maybe some of the men too. Now she could actually help and see the fruits of that work. “You’re going to make a good king, Paxton.”
He snorted. “I don’t know how to be a king.”
“I think it’s probably something you figure out as you go.” Not that they had much choice. “I like that Hunter and Vero will be with us.”
“You don’t mind leaving Idaho?” he asked.