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Yes King The title was his and-- Aden shook his head, disrupting that line of thought He wasn’t king, didn’t want to be king The end

When the barn was clean, the other boys trudged inside the bunkhouse to shower, change and prepare for dinner with the new tutor Seth lagged behind, calling over his shoulder, "Yo, Ad You co or what?"

Never ceased to ao, this boy had treated him like a leper "In a minute," he returned There was only one shower stall, so there’d be a wait He’d rather spend the ti to therapy covered in horse shit

Seth paused He braced his ar his back to Aden "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," he said, dread leaking into his voice He pushed his rake into the ground and leaned against the long, thin handle "Ask"

"I heard Shannon tell Ryder that you’ve got girls coht"

Okay Not too terrible a topic "Only two girls, and yes"

Seth swung around, one corner of his lip curved up "You dating both?"

"Just one, but the other is taken, too" And Riley will gut you if you go near her

"Oh" Seth’s shoulders sagged "Maybe you could invite others and, I don’t know, introduce us?"

Aden alrinned "Next week, irl Stephanie Very pretty And she has four friends who I’et rid of his unwanted dates than to foist theuys "I haven’t reat" Seth tossed hirin and loped off

"Finally We are alone," a female voice said from behind him

Aden whipped around as one of the horses whinnied An unfairl stood at the end of the barn She wore a red tank top and a pair of black jeans that h wore similar attire every day, but on her it looked odd, out of place and uncoth brown hair and dark eyes that slanted up at the corners Her skin was pale, and she was ss poked into her botto the predator she was

Please tellto speak to Aden

His next date? Aden tried not to groan

She appeared older than Victoria by at least ten years, but he supposed that ed much, much slower than humans, and the older the vaht rays of the sun without blistering Victoria was "only" eighty-so--that still randma Vicky--and she could still roa at my clothes Stephanie told us colors were now acceptable, and that you actually preferred theaze re as possible

"You look beautiful," he said, which was true She did She just wasn’t his type

"What’s your name?"

"Draven"

An unusual and pretty name "I’m Aden Stone"

"I know" She raceful were her movements As she passed, the horses bucked, but she paid them no heed "We’ve ht red lips "I was there the night you met each of my--your people You told me you were so happy to make my acquaintance"

Oops "Uh, now I remember," he lied Too many faces, too many na to everyone

Tell her she’s hot and you could never forget so for babes, Julian adirlfriend, Aden thought, but they couldn’t hear hi requires a queen, and you are in need of one And I’ll be honest I resisted the thought of being bound to a human at first, but I now think ould be a perfect fit" Her voice dipped huskily, her gaze on the pulse at the base of his neck "I still feel the pull of you, and I find it…delicious"

He liked when Victoria told him that Draven? Not so much

Lucky, Caleb said She’s hot and she wants you

"Actually--"

Draven reached hi his jawline "You will discover that I’m much better suited for you than Victoria I," she added, leaning all the way into hi"

He wasn’t du, and so did the souls