“I’ll stay with you until Bain or Edge takes over.” He grinned to lighten the moment. “Airmid isn’t the only one they’ll have to guard against. You’d better hope the effects of Eva’s pollen wear off after a while. I think poor Wade’s getting desperate. He’ll probably try to give you his boat next.”

She groaned as Dacian unlocked her door and they stepped inside. “I forgot about Wade. I feel so bad for him. I have to find a way to reverse the pollen’s effect.”

He hated to ask the hard questions, but there was one that needed asking. “What will you do with Eva?”

Cinn didn’t answer for a moment. She busied herself gathering up her nightgown and slippers, but she finally paused before going into the bathroom. “I don’t know. God, I really don’t know. It’s not her fault. I bred her that way. Only I didn’t know she’d be so powerful. I thought she’d be like Jessica and Sweetie Pie.”

“Who?”

Her smile was a little ragged around the edges, but it was still a smile. “They were two of the original plants I supplied to Sparkle. They feed off of sexual energy. Sparkle got a kick out of putting them in guests’ rooms. They’re two of the plants we brought from the castle for safekeeping while Airmid’s on her rampage.”

“Any idea what went wrong?”

She shook her head. “Maybe I fiddled with her a little more. Who knows? But I have to make sure this doesn’t happen again. I won’t destroy her, so I either have to put on gloves and snip off her blooms or isolate her when she starts flowering.”

He didn’t say anything.

“Maybe some of what Airmid’s ticked about is legit. And Eva will hate being isolated.”

“Will she?”

Cinn nodded. “You’re right. I don’t know if she feels anything. But what will I do about Vince and Teddy? They do feel.”

“Uh, Vince can hear you.”

“Oh, God.” She went into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

Dacian set Vince down on the coffee table and then he relaxed onto the couch. “You and me, Vince. Both fuckups.” He thought over what he’d just said. “Sorry I insulted you. I think you’re pretty amazing. But we’ve got to find a match for you. Someone who isn’t Asima. I bet Cinn has at least one more plant in that greenhouse who can communicate with you. We’ll have to find it.” He didn’t really believe that. What were the chances? But he didn’t want Vince to feel as if he didn’t belong anywhere. Like I do.

Enough of the self-pity. He occupied his mind with thoughts of Cinn’s bare body stretched beneath him, her hands touching his cock, stroking him until…