“Well you’ll be happy to know you can be rid of me soon.” She couldn’t contain her grin. “I think my vision’s coming back,” she blurted. “Everything is much brighter than it was last night, and I can kinda make out some shapes now.”
“That’s great!”
“Everything is still really blurry. I can’t actually see. But it gives me a reason to hope.”
“I’m glad.” Emma felt him moving. A massive shape appeared as he rose to his feet in front of her. Wow, he must be huge. He blocked out her new found light. Emma listened to his movements and tried to guess what he was doing. “Did you just run your hands in your hair? I’m trying to picture what’s going on around me.”
“Yeah I did. You’re doing pretty good. But don’t expect to develop your new skill anytime soon. You’re gonna be seeing again in no time.”
“I think you might be right.” She couldn’t contain her optimism.
“Any chance you have some coffee in your cupboards?”
“No, I’m sorry I don’t drink it. I might have some tea, though.”
“Thanks, but tea won’t cut it. I need my morning coffee. Is there anywhere close by where I can get some?” Emma heard the disdain in his voice when he rejected the tea for the stronger beverage.
“There’s a convenience store just down the street.”
“Okay, will you be alright while I’m gone?”
“Of course, this is my place. I know where everything is. Might take me a little longer to do things but at least I’m comfortable with the layout here. Anyway, I’m gonna take a shower. I’ll be fine.”
“And you don’t think you might need help with that?”
“You will not be helping me in the shower!” She declared. A blush heated her cheeks. “Come hell or high water; I will manage that by myself! If you really want to help, you could take this bandage off my head.”
“No problem.” The bandage came off without any difficulty. The area was still tender, but it was no longer oozing. “It looks much better this morning. You must be a fast healer.”
“I guess I am. Thank you for that. You saved me time fumbling with it while you’re gone.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stick around in case you need something?”
“I’ve been showering myself for years. I could manage it with my eyes closed and now I’ve got the chance to prove it. I’ll be fine.”
“Okay. If you’re sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“Do you need anything while I’m at the store?”
“I can’t think of anything. Don’t worry about me. Just go get your coffee.”
* * *
Kai shook off the vague uneasiness left from his dream as he left the apartment. He hadn’t dreamed of his past in a long time, so long ago he couldn’t even remember when. He’d had to let go of the memories in order to survive. And he didn’t like that he’d dreamed of it last night. Somehow it seemed to signal—something. He could feel an indefinable shift coming. Was it the city? Was it Emma? He felt out of sync because of that damned attraction he felt for her.
Coffee. He wanted coffee. That’s what he should focus on. And he wanted to get back ASAP. Leaving her alone didn’t feel right. She couldn’t see and she must be sore after her ordeal. What if she fell in the shower? Thinking of the shower reminded him how he’d put his foot in his mouth. He hadn’t been thinking about her being naked when he offered to help her shower. And of course, now that it was out there, he couldn’t stop thinking of hot steamy water falling on her skin and sliding in droplets over her firm full breasts and down the smooth flat surface of her stomach. He squashed the fantasy. Perv! He shook his head, grateful she couldn’t see evidence of his arousal. The appeal she held for him hadn’t vanished with the night. He snapped himself out of it. Protect and help! Nothing else.
Kai hurried down the stairs and out of the building. He wouldn’t be gone long, maybe a half hour at most. She’d be fine. After the long night, she’d probably want to wash the grime away and would still be in the shower when he returned. He needed some distance between them anyway.
He avoided people in general, but that didn’t mean he always lived like a monk. Lots of women got off on dangerous men, and Kai oozed danger. His intimidating size turned some of them on. It almost guaranteed him a steady supply of women throwing themselves at him anytime he was in the mood. Kai enjoyed the offerings on occasion but made no promises, and didn’t have to. They weren’t the type of women who expected a commitment.
Maybe after Emma recovered and they parted company, he’d go find that type of woman. Because no way could he justify having a liaison with her. She was too young and if not completely innocent, damn close to it. Emma was angelic and not meant for him. Darkness and light didn’t mix. They were opposites in every way.
He’d known her for just under a day and already she was under his skin. It was best to get her settled and get out of her life before he did something stupid they would both regret. Kai pushed through the glass door of the convenience store to get his morning cup of Joe.
Chapter 6
Twenty minutes later Emma towel-dried herself from the shower. After her ordeal, it felt good to be clean again. She had slept in her clothes or rather what was left of her clothes and Kai’s shirt. Heat singed her cheeks as she imagined the rough-voiced Kai removing her clothes and replacing her top with one of his own. She felt like an idiot. So what? He saw me in my bra. No big deal. It’s no worse than a bikini top. Still, embarrassed heat rose again.
A chair moving across the floor in the other room signaled that Emma wasn’t alone. Damn it! I forgot clean clothes! Emma wrapped a towel around her body and stepped self-consciously out of the steamy washroom.
“You’re back. Did you get your coffee?”
“Lookee what we have here. She’s all ready for us this time, boys.” a frighteningly familiar voice jeered. “We’re gonna finish this,”
Emma scrambled back and stumbled into the tiny bathroom. She slammed the door closed and braced it with her body. “You’d better leave before my friend comes back!” The door shuddered as something crashed against it.
“You bitch! When I get my hands on you, you’re gonna wish you were dead!”
A grunt accompanied the rattle of the door as he rammed against the wooden barrier. Each blow to the door shuddered through her. Another crash. A roar rumbled through the apartment along with the sound of splintering wood.
* * *
Kai rushed to get back to the apartment cursing his stupidity every step of the way. Guilt gnawed at him from the moment he stepped out of her building. He’d ignored the instinct urging him to go back. Damn the attraction between them that made him desperate put some space between them. Idiot! What a stupid, stupid move! He’d left her unprotected in an apartment with a broken door just so he could have his morning cup of freakin’ coffee.
He took the steps two at a time, his steps stretching longer and longer as he neared the apartment door.
They found her! Cold fury pounded through Kai’s veins as he launched himself through the open doorway and onto the nearest asshat, clearing a path to the group battering down Emma’s bathroom door. He reached into the swarm of bodies and grabbed one of them by the throat. Kai gripped the creeps head with his other hand, snapped it to the side, and threw the lifeless body down before he moved on to the next, and the next, and the next. The red haze of bloodlust cleared enough for him to see there was one last scumbag standing. The black flash of his eyes gave him away. The leader. Not human. The flash turned to solid black. His skin cracked and split as extra arms ripped through the human façade and a hideous beast, long teeth dripping venom, burst out. The gory shell dropped away from the creature, leaving behind leathery gray skin, wet with blood and ooze. His body expanded from the human shell, growing until he almost matched Kai in size. Then he lunged, all four arms grappling to hold Kai. Razor sharp teeth snapped and missed Kai’s face when he broke free from the vise-l
ike hold. Kai feinted and delivered a spinning back kick into the creature’s chest, sending him flying into the opposite wall. Kai hurtled over the kitchen counter and grabbed a knife from the block sitting by the stove. The other gang members had been more or less humanoid, but not this one.
The beast launched himself over the counter onto Kai, sending the two crashing into the refrigerator. Kai threw himself on top of the monster and slashed the blade through its neck, severing it through to the bone. The head lolled to the side, hanging from the body by tendons and skin, ready to part company with the shoulders at any moment. Kai sprang to his feet and raced back to the remains of the bathroom door.
“Emma it’s me, Kai.” Damn it! Please let her be alright! “Emma, open up it’s me!” Panicked, he jiggled the door. “Emma!”
“I’m here! I’m okay,” her shaky voice answered.
“Let me in! I want to see that you’re okay.” He forced the raging warrior, still hungering for the blood of his enemies, to calm.
“I—I’m too scared to move.”
“It’s okay, I promise. They’re gone. All of them are gone, it’s just me. I wouldn’t ask you to open the door if it wasn’t safe. Please just trust me and open the door.” He needed to see with his own eyes she was alright.
The splintered door inched open. Kai pushed it the rest of the way and hauled Emma into his arms. He held her tight, inhaling the sweet fruity scent of her wet hair. She was safe.
His lips brushed a feathery whisper across the top of her head before he let go. Her soft form slid down his body until her feet touched the floor. “It’s okay. I’m here now.”
“I was so scared.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. “I felt so helpless! They were just—just—there. I thought—I thought I was going to die.” Her bottom lip quivered, her body shivered.
Kai stroked her back. “Shhhh, it’s alright now. You’re not alone. I’m here.”
“Yes, you are.” She sniffled. ‘You’re sure they won’t come back?”
“I’m sure. They’re not coming back. They won’t hurt or threaten you again.”
Stupid, stupid, stupid bastard! Leaving her blind and alone for a damn cup of coffee! Thankful Emma couldn’t see the carnage around her; Kai guided her to the sofa, steering her around broken bodies. She was still trembling when he eased her down onto the cushions. Emma clung to his arm when he tried to release her.
“Please don’t leave. I’m not ready to be alone,” she whispered and pressed her face into his neck.
Heat radiated from her towel-clad body. Soft feathery breaths on his neck caused every muscle in his body to stiffened. Tender lips brushed against his neck with each indrawn and exhaled breath. The soft flutter sent him over the edge. The temptation was too much. Kai tipped her head back and crushed her mouth under his kiss. Emma gasped. He took advantage of the moment and delved his tongue inside.
Chapter 7
The burst of passion was foreign to Emma. Strong fingers stroked lightly down her throat, over the shallow notch in her collarbone and further down over her breasts. She felt a faint slickness on his skin, the subtle sheen of perspiration. She inhaled his outdoorsy scent mixed with something metallic she couldn’t identify. She’d never felt this exquisite ache of longing, never felt the burn of passion. Its power frightened her. She had to call a halt or his intimate caresses would consume her. Emma pushed against his chest with a light touch and tried to turn her head away from his kiss. He followed, nibbling and sucking on the plump flesh of her lower lip.
“We have to stop,” she whispered against his mouth. He didn’t stop. This is too intense! She tried pushing once more, only a little harder. “Please, I want to stop.”
His breath huffed out on a sigh. He backed off but didn’t move away. He gently brushed his lips over hers once more and leaned his forehead against hers. Moments passed before his racing heart slowed to a normal rhythm. He lifted his head from hers and tilted her chin up. Emma could feel the intensity of his gaze burning into her. She wished she could see his face. Instead, all that penetrated her eyes was a blurry haze of dark gray where the sunlight behind him outlined the shape of his head.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that,” Kai apologized.
“It’s okay. It was my fault, I grabbed onto you. I’m the one who should be sorry.”
“It’s not okay. You’re so quick to accept blame. You were afraid and looking for comfort. I pounced on you. It wasn’t my intention to take advantage of you.”
“I know. And yes, I was afraid.”
“I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“No. You didn’t hurt me,” Emma was embarrassed to continue. She raised her hand seeking his face and rested her hand on his cheek. “I wasn’t afraid of you. I was afraid of the intensity. I’ve never been kissed like that.”
“You’ve never been kissed like what?”
“So intense.” She didn’t elaborate. She dropped her hand and ducked her head while the heat of another blush crept up her neck.
Her life focused on rising above her circumstances, always had, always would. All she wanted was a life of her own where she could have a voice and make her own decisions instead of having some biased, do-gooder, social worker assigned to make her decisions for her. Some stranger who thought they knew what was best for a kid with whom they’d barely spent five minutes. She wanted more out of life than what anyone expected of someone like her. So she’d focused on work and school. She’d never dated, and except for the brutal mashing of lips she’d suffered the night before (and she didn’t count that), she’d never had a first kiss, either. Until now. And what a kiss.
“I find that pretty hard to believe,” he said. “Do you not own a mirror? Have you seen you? Your boyfriends must have been bungling idiots if they never kissed you properly. Because you are definitely meant to be kissed,” The husky timbre of desire rumbled in his voice. He leaned in and kissed her again. “And savored like there was no tomorrow.” Her lips tingled from the burning heat of his mouth.
Embarrassed, Emma leaned away and steered the conversation in another direction. “I’m not all that social. Other than work or school, I don’t get out much.”
“School?” He stiffened. “How old are you?”
“I’ll be twenty-two soon.” His breath whooshed out but Emma could still feel the tension in him. “I’m not a child, you know,” she said defensively. Considering his reaction, Emma realized he’d misunderstood. He’d thought she meant she was still in high school as in underage, but she wasn’t. She had her own apartment, for crying out loud. You had to be at least eighteen for a prospective landlord even to consider renting to you.
“In comparison to me you’re an infant.”
“I’m not a baby! And you don’t sound old, and you sure don’t feel …” She stopped.
“Let’s just say I’m much older than you and leave it at that. I shouldn’t have taken advantage of you and I won’t let it happen again.” Emma wasn’t sure who he was trying to convince, himself or her.
In the awkward silence that followed Emma’s hands fell to the terry cloth covering her. She still wore only a towel. “I should probably get dressed.”
“Yeah. That’s a good idea.” She clutched the ends of the towel tight to her body and stood up.
“And then we should go back to my hotel.”
“Why? They’re gone, aren’t they?”
“Yes, but it’s obvious to me you aren’t safe here. They trashed your apartment. We don’t know where your key is and even if we did your door is broken anyway. It’s just not safe.”
“I never thought of that. Well, we’ll get the door fixed, and the lock changed, and it will be fine. I don’t want to leave. This is my home! I’ve worked hard for it.”
“You need more than a changed lock. You need a whole new door and a security system. Not to mention the mess they made. Better still, you need an apartment in a secure building.”
“I can’t afford any of that. I’ll get it f
ixed the best I can.”
“I can’t leave you here, not like this. Your furniture is in shambles. Even if I cleaned the place up, it wouldn’t fix the destruction.”
“Well, it’s all I have. I don’t have anyone or anywhere else to go right now.”
“Yes, you do. You have me now. You’ll come back to my hotel ’cause you’re not staying here. You’re coming with me. That’s final. End of discussion.”
* * *
Well, now he knew. The attraction between them wasn’t just one-sided after all. Kai prayed Emma’s gratitude wasn’t her only motivation for accepting his kiss. It felt wrong to take advantage of her vulnerability, but in that moment, he couldn’t resist her. Kai wasn’t gonna stress about it though. Like him, she took pleasure from the kiss.
Emma’s blindness prevented her from seeing his immense physical size so she hadn’t reacted to him in a typical fashion. She had no idea she was supposed to be afraid of him or that she was in the company of a fierce and ancient warrior. All she’d known from him was his protection. Which was more than most people ever knew. He preferred anonymity.
They had to get out of the apartment. Emma’s place was a disaster and still full of bodies, not that he’d let her stay there alone even if it wasn’t full of dead bodies. Bodies he still had to dispose of while staying under the radar. He felt no guilt over killing these creatures. They weren’t even human. But it didn’t take long for dead bodies to start the decomposition process. Her neighbors might have overlooked the fighting as none of their business, but they wouldn’t ignore the smell. If left alone, the smell ensured somebody in the building would eventually call the cops.
In his extensive experience, he’d learned law enforcement in any form didn’t care much for vigilantes. So he cleaned up the messes left behind as a result of his profession. In a situation like this, with multiple inexplicable creatures left behind, he called in a cleaner. There was a witch, Sabine, whom he’d worked with in the past. She used her powers mostly for the light side. They had an understanding. She’d help but there’d be a price. She’d want something in return.
Out of Darkness Page 4
