“It must be hard for you, being around supernatural entities you had no idea even existed a few days ago, accepting the presence of beings legends say are deadly and to be feared. I’d be surprised if you didn’t prefer your own company.” He sounded strangely stilted.

Amazing. The big bad vampire was uncomfortable with her. But no emotion showed behind the mask he’d slipped into place.

“Well, be surprised. I want to be around you.”

He couldn’t quite hide his shock, or his pleasure. “Why did you deny everything Sparkle said?”

She sighed and dropped onto the chair Edge had been using. “Because I was trying to deal with all the things you just named. Because I don’t know what to do next. Because…I think maybe some of what Airmid said was true. I should’ve experimented more carefully, put in some fail-safes. But most of all, because I find I’m really attracted to a man who happens to be a vampire.”

His smile was the slow sexy one she’d been missing. “And I’m really attracted to a woman with goddess connections, if what I heard Asima say is true.”

“You were standing there all that time?”

“The conversation was entertaining.” He thought about delving a little deeper into her feelings, but now wasn’t the time or the place.

“The demigoddess thing is interesting, but I don’t know how it’s supposed to help me.”

He sat on the cot. “It tells you that what you did with these plants stemmed directly from the power you got from Airmid, not something you learned in a university.”

She threw her hands in the air in frustration. “So how do I make everything all right?”

“First you have to decide what all right is. Do you want to take Teddy’s emotions and his ability to act on those feelings away from him? Do you want to take away Vince’s ability to think and communicate?”

“Honestly? No. But I do want to take away Eva’s power to do whatever she does. And I want to make sure I don’t create any more weed warriors.”

“So you’re willing to agree to Airmid’s terms at least as they pertain to dangerous experimenting?”

She nodded.

“But you’re not willing to destroy what you’ve already created.”

“Right.”

“Then you negotiate.”

“How?”

“We’ll think of a way.”

She leaned from her chair and slid her fingers along the side of his face. He clenched his jaw. The table was here and the temptation was, too. But not tonight.

“Thank you for taking the time to really listen and not just brush off my concerns. And thank you for making this a ’we’ operation.”

Something awoke in him, something new and unsettling, but also exciting, something…

“So anything new to report?”