by Kira Brady
His heart drummed loudly in his ears, drowning out all logic, all self-control.
Forget all pretense of civilization. Throw out all notions of decency. At this moment he wanted to spirit her away to a mountain cave where he could hoard her as treasure all for himself, like the dragons of old had done.
If he chose to do so, no one and nothing would stand in his way. He was a creature of power. Might made right. Besides, she had fought him and lost. By the ancient laws, she owed him forfeit.
She belonged to him.
Slowly, his head cleared and he realized she was whimpering in his arms.
Devil take him. This attraction was one-sided.
“Who hurt you?” It was obvious someone had. Someone like him, apparently. Leif wanted to cut out the bastard’s heart and skewer his head on a pike.
“You’re hurting me.”
He was indeed. “I apologize.” Again.
Leif grasped the banister and pulled both of them from the ground. He set her gently away from him. Digging in his pocket, he pulled out a card. “I truly would like to ask you a few questions in the name of scientific research. I also have information about the Shadow Walkers, should you be interested.” He watched her face, but it was carefully blank. He couldn’t tell if she knew who or what she was, or might be willing to answer some questions for answers of her own.
She didn’t take the card.
“Please?”
“You could order me,” she whispered. “I have no choice.”
“But I won’t,” Leif said. So she knew he now held her slave bond. How could he assure her that he wouldn’t abuse it? She would never believe that he sought a way to free them both.
“So polite now, huh?” she laughed darkly.
“I . . . ah . . .” Last time he checked accosting a woman twice in a public stairwell wasn’t considered polite. He reached out, and she flinched. He carefully tucked his card in the pocket of her sweatshirt and brushed a strand of sleek hair back behind her ear.
He wanted to cup her smooth cheek and pull her close for another taste of those luscious sweet lips.
But it was not to be.
“Take care of yourself, Walker.” Leif stepped away slowly, not giving her his back in case she had another knife, but not moving as if he worried for his own physical safety.
He didn’t. His emotional safety was another matter entirely. This young woman had much too strong a pull on his baser instincts. Like the moon’s call to a werewolf, she brought out in him something he didn’t recognize. Something monstrous.
Leif couldn’t afford to become a raving lunatic. His experiments were too close to breakthrough. His people needed him. It was the only value of his damned soul. To betray his people would be unforgivable, for any reason.
“My name is Grace,” she said softly, before he stepped through the door.
“Grace,” he repeated.
The irony was not lost on him.
ZEBRA BOOKS are published by
Kensington Publishing Corp.
119 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
Copyright © 2012 by Kira Brady
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.
If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the Publisher and neither the Author nor the Publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
Zebra and the Z logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.
ISBN: 978-1-4201-2831-4
