Beth got up to start fixing her tea. “Whoa, wait, blood, sex, and fighting. The blood I get. Swapping and drinking it or whatever you all do. Sex I get, that one is pretty universal, but the fighting? Where does that fit in?”

Felicity had never seen a challenge personally; they were rare. “Before the ceremony ends, if another male or female would like to fight—like a challenge—for the rights to one of the mates then they can do so. If either one wins then they will take the place of the original person.”

Beth gave her a say-what? look before she dumped a gallon of sugar into her tea. “So, wait now, let me see if I get this. Let’s say I wanted to bond with Dominic Blackmoore. Then I could attend this ceremony, interrupt it at the right time to challenge Julianna, and if I win then I can take her place to be his bruid?”

Felicity shrugged. “Pretty much. It’s rare but it happens sometimes. Usually it’s a male fighting over the woman. They deck it out and whoever wins gets to claim her.”

“That sounds pretty unfair. What if they’re desperately in love and the man loses and has to give her up?”

Another shrug. “The law comes from a long time ago when things were still pretty archaic. It comes from the whole ‘might is right’ idea where stronger males and females will make stronger offspring. Makes sense if you think about it like that.”

“Riiiiight,” drawled Beth. She sat down across the table with her tea and leveled her chocolate eyes on Felicity. “So you really like him, don’t you?”

Felicity looked up at the ceiling feeling that heavy weight in her chest grow. “I do. There’s just something about him. He makes me feel...he makes me feel special. It’s like there’s something between us. He can’t take his eyes off me. He didn’t even look at Julianna the same way and she’s a knockout. Seriously, however gorgeous she is in V-Society she’s a hundred times more beautiful in person. So unfair...”

“What are you gonna do about it?” Beth said gently.

“What can I do but ignore it? Make sure he knows I’m off limits. I mean he’s getting mated in a month and I’m planning it for him. I can’t be having an affair with him.”

“Do you think he’ll agree to stay away from you?” Beth sipped at her steaming tea.

“Hell no,” Felicity snorted. “He isn’t the type. I’ll have to figure something out. It’s like the second he touches me I just...melt.”

Beth blew out a dreamy sigh. “That’s how I feel listening to Lucas Blackmoore sing.”

At the mention of Lucas Blackmoore, Felicity shot up, darted across the house to her bedroom in a blur, and then returned to the kitchen table with a huge grin on her face. Beth did a double take.

“I hate when you move so fast. You know I can’t see it.”

“I got a surprise for you. That’s why I called you here.”

Instead of looking excited Beth’s face shut down growing wary. “What is it?” Beth hated surprises. All the more reason Felicity loved to surprise her.

“I met someone yesterday,” Felicity said in a sing-song voice.

Beth tensed. “Who?”

Felicity leaned down and said in a loud whisper, “Lucas Blackmoore.”

Beth shot up from her seat, the chair wobbled back, nearly falling over. Her bad leg wobbled but she righted it, breathing hard. A strange look came over her face part-excitement, part-terrified. Weird.

“What happened?” Beth said.

“Oh, he’s just a great guy. He’s nice, funny, seriously good looking. Oh, and I told him about how you like his music.”

Felicity had never seen Beth blush, but now she did. Even with her dark skin she could see it darken from caramel to mocha. “You did not.”

Felicity froze. Beth didn’t sound excited in the least. She almost sounded devastated.

“Are you okay?”

Beth blinked then nodded quickly, but Felicity watched her swallow hard.

“Honey, what’s wrong? You can tell me. You know you can trust me.”

Beth grabbed onto the chair in front of her, digging her fingers into the wood until her knuckles flexed. “I really like his music.”

Felicity blinked. “Yes, which is why I thought you’d be excited that I got—”

“No, I really like his music. And him. I dream about him.”

“What?” Felicity’s eyebrows rose straight to her hairline. “Like a sexy fantasy thing? I mean he is freakishly hot. The goatee thing, I can dig it.”

“No.” She jerked her head hard. “Almost every night. We’re together. Sometimes it’s sex, sometimes it’s more. But we’re always together.”

“Oh, well I’m sure it’ll go away.” She tried for encouragement because this was a little strange.

Beth laughed, the sound hollow with something close to pain. “I’ve been having these dreams for two years.”

Felicity jerked. “Two years you’ve dreamed of him? Every night?”

Beth nodded slowly, almost painfully as if this was the most embarrassing secret to reveal ever. Felicity could see why now.

“Well that’s...pretty intense.”

Beth continued to nod, her eyes wide. “I go to all of his shows. It kills my budget but even if it means I have to work overtime, I make every concert. Any of his local shows I can get into I do. I always sit in the back.” Her hands squeezed the chair so hard it was a wonder it didn’t snap. “I swear it’s shameful how much I like it. I sit in the back by myself losing myself in his words...his voice.” Beth’s voice took a hypnotic quality as she spoke about him.

Unease filled Felicity but she lifted the envelope the messenger brought her with the two tickets in it. “Well, he gave me two tickets to see his band play tonight at the Coyote Theater. I don’t suppose you wanna go?”

Beth blinked slowly. “I couldn’t get tickets to that show. Sold out within the first day and the tickets were fifty dollars more than usual and that was for back row seats. You have tickets to see Lucas Blackmoore tonight?” She repeated it slower as if trying to comprehend them.

“Yes.”

Suddenly the tickets were snatched from her hands.

Beth squealed—actually squealed like a sixteen-year-old girl whose parents just bought her a car.

“Row one seats ‘g’ and ‘h’.”

“Yeah,” Felicity said not sure why that sounded so important to Beth. Seats were seats.

Beth let go of the chair to squeeze Felicity’s shoulders in an iron grip. “That’s the first row in the theater and seats ‘g’ and ‘h’ are in the middle. As in he’ll be right in front of us!”

Felicity grinned. “Then it looks like we need to get ready.”

Beth’s eyes turned frantic as she looked down at herself. Of course she looked hot as always in her designer skinny jeans that showed off her powerful thighs and ass to perfection and her sexy tan leather boots that went up to her calf. She had a white blouse with a tan leather jacket on over that and gold hoop earring dangling from her ears. She looked gorgeous as always.

“I have to go home and get dressed!”

“Honey, you look pretty bangable from where I’m standing.”

Beth shook her head fiercely. “Get dressed fast. We’re heading to my place. I will not be late.” Her voice turned into military commands, delivering rapid fast commands.

Felicity checked the time. “We have plenty of time.”

Beth’s wild eyes met hers. “I always get there early.”

“O-kay.”

Felicity dressed in a pair of rugged looking jeans. They were her favorite pair because they fit like a sexy glove. She blow-dried her hair so the curls spiraled some more and then she powered on some mascara, eyeliners, and blush—her typical routine. By the time she pulled on a short-sleeved black t-shirt and grabbed her jacket, Beth was waiting at the front door tapping her foot.

“Honey, I don’t see why we have to go to your place. You still look better than I do and I just got ready.”

“I always dress my best for LBB and tonight will not be any different. Not when I’ll be in the front row.”