“No,” she admitted and glanced to where Thomas still stood talking into the phone before turning back and asking, “Do you think you could?”
He hesitated and then said, “It’s probably something he should explain.”
Inez scowled at the suggestion, knowing Thomas wouldn’t explain.
“Besides, I really have to trade coolers. The Night Club is waiting on this delivery. They were very upset that I got the coolers mixed up.”
Inez considered him silently as her business side-kicked in telling her that she had something he wanted and he had something she wanted.
Before she could speak, his eyes grew sharp and he threatened, “I could control you and move you out of the way to get what I want.”
Her eyebrows flew up. He’d obviously read her mind again, though Inez hadn’t noticed the earlier flutter again. She considered her options and then asked, “Can you control Thomas too?”
When he hesitated, she added, “I’m the vice president of the UK division of Argeneau Enterprises and we oversee all the European operations. In effect, I’m your boss.”
A slow admiring smile crossed his face. “You play hardball.”
“I didn’t get to be vice president by pussyfooting around,” she said with a shrug and then stood waiting anxiously as he decided whether he would take control of her, get what he needed, and get out—which she definitely didn’t think she’d like—or if he was going to answer her question.
Much to her relief, he gave a low chuckle and said, “Okay, guarantee I won’t get in trouble for this mix up and I’ll play. This could be interesting.”
Beaming at the man with gratitude and relief, Inez nodded. “Agreed. I’ll talk to your boss. Now, explain lifemates to me.”
He shifted the cooler he held from one hand to the other, and then said, “Lifemates are exactly what they sound like, a life partner, the one who matches you, whom you can live with and love and exist with happily.”
Inez frowned as she considered his words and then asked, “And not being able to read someone is how your kind recognize a lifemate?”
“We also start eating again, but not being able to read or control them is the most important attribute.”
“Why?” she asked curiously.
He frowned and then said slowly, “We can control and read most mortals. Actually, all mortals except for a lifemate.”
“All?” she asked with amazement.
“If you can’t read them, they are a lifemate,” he said simply. “For some that is a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, others are lucky enough to find another if they lose the first, but there are often centuries between one and the other, centuries of being alone. It’s not a horrible circumstance, but it isn’t a happy one either. Everyone needs someone they can share the centuries with, someone with which to enjoy life’s pleasures and sorrows.”
“So,” Inez said slowly, “while Thomas can’t read or control me, every other immortal can?”
He nodded. “I could shut you down, move you out of the way, and wipe this from your memory if I liked.”
Inez cringed at the very idea. She was someone who liked to be in control at all times.
“I kind of picked that up about you right off,” he announced with a grin. “You have control issues.”
Inez scowled as she realized that he was still reading her mind despite her not sensing it. “Please stop reading my mind.”
“Sorry,” he said, however, there was little sincerity behind the words. “But that’s my point. If Thomas was able to do this to you…Well, it hardly makes for an equal relationship, does it? Even if an immortal cared for someone, it would be hard to resist the temptation to take control to get what you wanted when you wanted it. Those sorts of relationships don’t work. An immortal needs someone he can’t read and control and who can’t read and control him or her. It allows them to relax and let down their guards.”
“Guards?” Inez asked curiously.
“Immortals can often read other immortals too. It’s harder if the immortal is older than you, but if they get distracted, we can even read them. To prevent that, we have to put up guards in our minds and keep them up. But at home, with a lifemate who can’t read our thoughts, or control us, we can relax and not worry about such things.”
“So it’s better to be with someone who can’t read or control you,” she acknowledged, and then added, “But just because you can’t read or control them, doesn’t guarantee a happy relationship. What if you met someone you couldn’t read or control but who was completely unsuitable to you? What if their personality doesn’t suit yours?”