by Kiki Howell
“It’s just Treva. What are these friends’ names?” Turning over idea after idea as to how he could have possibly gotten rid of the bodies in less time than it took her to get her things, she eventually ended up discarding each one, but she had to admit the mystery intrigued her.
“I’m not at liberty to tell you that, but you can rest assured that you are safe with me.”
“If I didn’t already know you meant me no harm, I wouldn’t be here right now. Anyway, if you were told anything about me, you should already know that safety is not much of a concern of mine. I have to complete a mission before I can rest, and that means I face danger all the time. I’m perfectly fine with it. In some ways, I guess you could say it helps me sleep at night and gives me a reason to wake up again the next.”
“Which one keeps you going? Is it your mission, or is it danger itself that drives you?” He sounded genuinely interested.
Treva considered his question for a moment before answering, “I suppose it’s both. In every way that matters, avenging my family’s murders has become my life. Danger comes along with it, and I think it has some addictive qualities for the obsessive and disturbed. Sometimes it seems like I’m not really alive unless I feel the flutter of excitement and the edge of danger in the pit of my stomach. There’s nothing quite like staring into the face of death to remind you how much you value life.”
DRAYDEN WASN’T AT ALL surprised by Treva’s answer, but her openness was unexpected. He understood exactly what she meant about staring death in the face. The moment Shoftiel ordered him to protect Treva, he had known something felt different, unlike the thousands of jobs he’d performed for the punishing angel during their many years of acquaintance. The underlying sadness in her words brushed against his heart, lighting a spark he’d considered dead for centuries. “I can relate to that.”
“I believe you can. What fighting methods did you study? Underground?”
“Is that what the outlawed methods are called now?” The last thing he wanted to talk about was his killing technique. It opened the door to too many secrets he wasn’t ready to reveal.
“Well, that’s what I call them because practitioners of the surviving methods had to turn them into dances to keep them alive.”
“I’m mostly self-taught,” he responded, doing his best to keep his answer as simple as possible without sounding evasive. “So yes, ancient methods that were driven underground.”
“All right, I know my conversational skills are a little rusty, but I really can talk about more than dead bodies and fighting skills. You should see your face right now. You look like I just ran over your puppy.”
Drayden laughed. He had never been drawn to anyone he was meant to protect before, but this vibrant, striking woman called to every part of him, man and beast. Her combination of strength and vulnerability made him want to protect her, and his desire had nothing to do with duty. He decided to steer away from that train of thought and focus on something simpler. “There’s nothing wrong with your conversational skills. I’m the one who’s rusty. What do you like most about the fair?”
She beamed at him like an excited child, but her sultry voice, kissable lips, and voluptuous figure would not allow him to forget for a second that Treva was a full-blooded woman with the ability to entice him despite his resolve to avoid entanglements. “Definitely the rides.”
“A thrill-seeker to the core, I suppose. The fair is on the riverfront, so I’ll call my driver.”
She offered him an incredulous look. “A bodyguard with a driver? You gave me a name, but you still didn’t tell me who you are or why you and whoever hired you are helping me.”
She touched him lightly on his forearm, prompting him to turn, and immediately awakened the beast inside him. Feeling his tenuous control ripping and tearing, he had to look away. As always, his veneer had been recently purchased with the blood of his marks, who just happened to be Treva’s assailants as well. He could not afford to be careless like he did the first time, a mistake that changed his life forever. Something deep inside told him his time with her would be limited and precious, and the ever-present voice in his head yelled caution. How many lives will you have to take? How much blood will you have to spill just to maintain your human form long enough for her to be able to look upon you? The moment she sees you in beast form, she’ll curse you and run.
“So, tell me about yourself, Drayden Sorcher.”
“There’s not much to tell,” he lied. “I’m just following orders.”
“You’re just following orders,” Treva repeated his words slowly, as if they were difficult to digest. “I see.” Treva crossed her arms and looked away.
Drayden couldn’t miss the brief moment of hurt in her eyes. Realizing his words had caused harm, he wanted to kick himself for the last idiotic statement about following orders, but that part, at least, was true. However, he neglected to add that he was enjoying her company and would regret leaving her when his job was complete.
“Maybe the fair isn’t such a good idea after all. I’m feeling a little drained, and being out in the open like this probably makes your job harder.”
“Don’t worry about making my job harder, Treva. I can barely remember the last time I went to the fair, and I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather share the experience with.” He rested his palm at the small of her back and coaxed her toward the limo as soon as it arrived, cursing himself for speaking so carelessly. “To the fair, Lady Treva?”
“Wait.” She clicked her key fob and headed towards a garage door which opened underneath the complex. Moments later, she rode out on a black and gray Harley.
Relief washed over him when she smiled, allowing him to place her bike in the large trunk and help her into the car.
The driver turned to them and smiled. “Where to, Lord Sorcher?”
“Lord?” Treva repeated the greeting as she turned to look pointedly at him for an explanation.
He couldn’t answer her without saying more than he was ready for her to know, so he dismissed the title as well as her glare. “Water street. We’re going to visit the fair for a while, Terrance.”
Terrance tipped his hat and smiled at Treva the minute he saw her, then scratched his head. “Really? Sounds like I must be talking to somebody else, but I imagine the lady has something to do with that. That’s some bike, by the way.”
Drayden narrowed his eyes and Terrance abruptly stopped talking.
After they arrived at the fair and Drayden purchased their tickets, Treva surprised him by grabbing his hand. Her innocent yet intimate action sent jolts of possessiveness through him, and he found himself wanting to pull her to him and hold her. Her first stop was the corn dog stand. Drayden bought one and handed it to her.
She frowned. "You're not gonna make me eat by myself, are you?"
"I've never tasted one before," he admitted.
"How can you go through life and never taste something as delicious as a corn dog? I'm not having it. Get you one too. We'll slather 'em with mustard and if you're a ketchup man, that'll work too."
He reluctantly complied, then turned the doughy frank from side to side before she grabbed his hand again and led him to the condiment corner. Taking his out of his hand without permission or preamble, she did exactly as she had said, adding mustard, then offering him a questioning glance before adding ketchup as soon as he nodded. She handed it back to him and prompted him to take a bite while she watched, her deep brown eyes bright with anticipation. "Go ahead. I really hope you like it."
Drayden bit into the junk food, finding it barely palatable, but he couldn't bear the thought of causing her disappointment. "Mmm. It's...yeah, I'm glad you got me to taste one." So now I’ll never have to do it again.
She frowned again, and he knew she’d read between the lines, cutting through his lame attempt to appease her. He’d already noticed she seemed to have an unnatural knack for that.
"Go ahead and throw it away. I know you don't like it." Treva's frown v
anished as quickly as it had appeared, and she turned, looking from left to right. "Okay, my treat. Would you prefer popcorn, nachos, chicken on a stick, or how about cotton candy or my favorite, funnel cake? I had one earlier, so I’d better not eat another, but they are completely delicious."
Her love of life and the fact that she was trying to take care of him caused an odd sensation in the region of his heart, and he felt the rope tightening. "I'll try the nachos if you promise to allow me to take you to dinner for some real food when we leave here."
"It's so late, Drayden. Is anyplace open this time of night?"
"I have a friend nearby who will gladly allow us to dine in private, if you wish."
"You are just full of surprises, aren't you?" She placed her hand in his again. "Come on." After picking up his nachos at another booth close by, they slowly walked across the grounds as they ate.
Treva reached up and wiped some of the cheese sauce from the corner of Drayden’s mouth with her index finger, then licked it from her finger.
He watched her, eventually forcing himself to stop staring at her sultry, delicious-looking lips. He would have much preferred to partake of those lips of hers than the overly manufactured nachos and make-believe cheese. The only decent part of the snack was the peppers. He had always enjoyed those, and to his surprise, they were real. Grateful that she continually reached onto his plate to share the nachos, cheese, and peppers, which she seemed to enjoy as much as he did, he continued to eat simply for the pleasure of sharing the experience with her. In spite of his initial plan to maintain his role as her bodyguard and nothing more, he found himself becoming increasingly mesmerized by her movements and the simmering fire just beneath the surface. He wondered if she had any idea how exotically beautiful and sexy she was.
Moments later, they reached the ring toss display, where she turned to him and ordered, then finished with an irresistible purr, "Win me something big. I know you can."
“Something for your pretty lady?” The carnival worker grinned, addressing Drayden as he and Treva neared the exhibit hand in hand.
Drayden stood in line and watched while two men tried to burst balloons with darts. A crowd surrounded them, oohing and ah-ing at the appropriate times, but despite the support of numerous strangers, both men walked away dejected, unable to burst enough balloons.
Drayden removed the first dart, immediately aware of the fact that the game was rigged in favor of the owner. He slid his forefinger and thumb along the tip of each dart, tapping into his powers to sharpen them to their original state. Manipulating physical objects had been one of the first skills he exhibited, along with changing his physical appearance, or shifting, as it had come to be called. As a child, he had been forced to hide his abilities. The marquis, his mother’s husband, the man who thought he was his biological son, had no magical abilities. Neither did his mother. Since the curse, he no longer had the desire to shift at will. Using his innate ability to estimate the amount of force required to burst the balloon, he threw the first one. From the corner of his eye, he could see Treva watching him. Her tantalizing lips were parted, but like him, she was accustomed to subtlety and secrets. She saw what he had done, but gave nothing away.
Pop!
The crowd clapped and prompted him to do it again.
Treva smiled, clapping as well, and touched his arm lightly, a show of solidarity.
Drayden threw the second dart. After he managed to burst the third balloon, the crowd closed in and their cries of excitement grew louder and louder with each conquest.
Treva hopped up on the display counter facing him, crossed her legs, and kissed his earlobe. “Almost there. I’ve already chosen what I want.” Her brown eyes danced with mischief.
Drayden wondered briefly if she had any idea who or what he was. Closing his eyes, he relied on his preternatural senses to burst the remainder of the balloons, then turned to Treva, who surprised him by wrapping her arms around his neck and peppering his face with kisses as she slowly ran her fingers down the back of his neck. He had to force himself to remain still before he lost control and gave in to the primitive instincts awakened by her touch.
With the crowd clapping and whistling in the background, Treva hopped down from the counter and pointed to her prize, apparently oblivious to the fire she had ignited inside him.
For the first time in many years, he felt as if he was part of a couple.
Even the carnival worker’s disgruntled look didn’t dampen the pleasure Drayden got from watching Treva’s excitement and knowing that he’d made her happy. The realization suddenly struck him that keeping her safe and happy seemed to be more important to him than anything else at the moment. He had always been interested in more full-bodied women, but Treva, though curvy in all the right places, could be described as petite by anyone’s measure. Every second she was near, her courage and bold spirit continued to draw him closer.
Ring toss was another activity among Drayden's firsts, but exceeding Treva's expectations drove him forward. No matter how many times his inner voice reminded him that it was just a game, winning whatever she wanted overshadowed every logical thought. By the time they walked away from the balloon and ring toss displays, they were carrying two of the largest stuffed animals offered as prizes.
Treva clutched the puppy and rabbit, reached up and placed her hand behind Drayden's neck, and kissed the corner of his mouth. "Thank you. The last time I owned anything like these, anything fun and normal, I was still living under the impression that I was safe, and that the people I loved wouldn't die."
“You’ve endured extraordinary loss, particularly for someone so young.”
She blinked, then tilted her head to the side as she looked up at him. “How old are you?”
Drayden laughed. “Old enough to understand loss, Lady Treva. Old enough to understand loss,” he repeated the statement a second time, his thoughts returning to the consequences of his choices, and the resulting losses, one of which was his freedom.
“In my world, that doesn’t have to be very old. I was only 13 when my parents were murdered.”
“Any age is too young for what you’ve endured. I’m sorry for your pain. I don’t mean to minimize your journey in any way, but your trials have helped to shape you into who you are now.”
“If you mean a trained killer who lives for revenge, I suppose they did. At least when I kill their murderers, the pain isn’t quite as sharp.” Before he could respond, she grabbed his hand again, and headed straight for the tallest, most dangerous looking ride on the grounds.
He followed willingly, watching for possible threats as he grudgingly acknowledged that despite the brevity of their acquaintance, he would do anything for her.
“Drayden, you are gonna ride with me, aren’t you? I mean, I might need your protection up there.” She pointed to the rollercoaster and offered him a sly smile.
“I wouldn’t have it any other way, my lady.”
“Okay, stop calling me that. I’m starting to like it, and that’s too strange for me to wrap my mind around, so for the umpteenth time, I’m not lady Treva or my lady. It’s just Treva, alright, Lord Sorcher?”
.
Chapter Four
DESPITE THE LATE hour, it didn’t seem as if the large crowd would ever slow down, but most of the rollercoaster carts remained empty. Treva noted that no children seemed to be present, only couples moving aimlessly and holding hands. She climbed in, glancing down at Drayden when he grasped her hips to help her inside and stepped in next to her. She wondered if he had any idea how much the gesture turned her on, or how much the cloak he wore had her panting to see more of him. The way he moved, with the lethal grace of a predator, left no doubt that she would admire what was hidden underneath.
As their cart slowly moved higher, swaying slightly with every minute move either of them made, the dark sky seemed close enough to touch. “The sky is almost black tonight. Even the stars seem to be hiding,” she whispered, mostly to herself.
“New moon,” Drayden replied, his dark eyes even more intense as he gazed deeply into hers.
She kissed him for the second time, more intimately this time. She couldn’t hold back any longer, and as his tongue darted around and against hers, a primitive dance of sorts, he stoked the fire inside her. The impromptu kiss only served to make her want more, to delve deeper as she inhaled his warm, minty breath and felt the outline of his hard chest. She felt his large hands pulling her even closer, and her nipples tightened to sensitive buds, eager for his touch. There was something very special about this mysterious man, and she hungered to know everything about him.
Just then, the ride started with a lurch, and they were suddenly dropped from the sky to the ground and back again at break-neck speed. She found herself clinging to him, but she felt no fear of falling, only fear of letting him go and losing the fiery zest for life he had ignited, feelings she’d never experienced before. She realized suddenly that what she felt for Drayden Sorcher was more than like. Her life had been spent planning and exacting revenge, but her reaction to the man beside her came as a surprise. She wanted him in ways she hadn’t wanted a man in quite some time, and much more than she probably should, considering how little she knew about him. Used to relying on her instincts for survival, she tried to relax and enjoy his company while they were together. She knew he was doing his job, even though she still had no idea who cared enough about her to send him, but none of that mattered in the moment. Right here and now, she wanted him, and she’d never had any problems asking for what she wanted.
She raised her voice so he could hear her over the noise produced by the rollercoaster’s engine, the whirring wind, and the screams of other riders, “Wouldn’t it be exciting to make love up here?”
The look he gave her in response to her question nearly had her on top of him, ripping his clothes off, starting with the damn cloak that seemed to taunt her. His dark eyes held infinite wisdom as he looked at her, his gaze moving to take in the contours of her face until she felt as if he was memorizing every feature. The slight tilt of his lips was utterly frameable, and accentuated the rest of his striking looks. “I can promise that making love to you alone in a comfortable bed would be exciting. That way, we wouldn’t have to concern ourselves with possible interruptions.”
