No, Malik couldn’t have allowed Azrael to live, any more than he could have sat back and let him destroy the woman Malik loved.
“She’ll be all right,” Ben murmured, falling in step beside him. “Give her some time.”
Malik kept his gaze trained on the house, marching through the back door without facing Ben. “But she’ll never forgive me.”
“Forgive you for what?” Ben entered behind him and began jerking drawers open as Malik moved toward the stove.
“You don’t know what I’ve done. I’m responsible for everything that Cassandra has been through.”
“How is that?” Ben held up a pack of matches he’d found in one of the drawers.
“I’ll fill you in on the way out of here.” Malik blew out the pilot light on the stove and turned all four knobs to the on position.
The smell of gas reached his nose, and he snatched the matches from Ben’s fingers. “Run.”
Malik waited for Ben to reach the edge of the yard before blurring upstairs to start a fire.
With one last look at his uncle’s pasty-white face, he lit the bedspread and jumped from the window to land lithely on his feet.
The injuries he’d sustained in the fight with Azrael and his goons had already begun to heal, leaving him ample strength to run the five miles back to Logan’s before the sun came up.
Stopping next to Ben’s giant form, Malik watched in surprise as the familiar shifted into a hawk and flew off in the direction of the Sanders’ place.
Malik snatched up Ben’s discarded clothing and caught up with him in a second, pacing himself to keep from arriving ahead of the soaring bird. The last thing he needed was a fight with the wolves before he could make it safely inside.
* * * *
The sky began to turn a light shade of pink as Malik came to a stop near the tree line that bordered Logan’s yard. The sting on his skin told him he had mere minutes before he became toast. He scanned the ever-brightening sky for signs of the hawk.
“Looking for me?” Ben stepped from the trees, wearing nothing but a grin.
Malik tossed him his clothes. “I would really hate for your nude form to be the last thing I saw before I died. Which is what will happen if we aren’t inside in the next sixty seconds.”
Ben jogged ahead without bothering to dress and rounded up Logan’s wolves before signaling for Malik to join him.
With a quickness that belied the lethargic feeling now overcoming him, Malik blurred his way across the yard, onto the porch, and inside the house seconds ahead of the rising sun.
“There’s a door down that hall,” Ben nodded in the direction of an archway. “It leads to the basement where I stay on occasion if Carly needs me. It’s yours for the day.”
Malik sent him a grateful look and staggered off in search of his resting place. He would give anything in that moment to see Cassandra’s beautiful face before he fell asleep, instead of imagining her in that damnable Kyle’s naked arms.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“You don’t have to carry me, Kyle. I am capable of walking,” Cassie insisted for the tenth time.
“I realize that, but you’re not heavy, and I really don’t mind.”
“Please put me down.” She wriggled in his arms to get her point across.
He tightened his grip and peered down at her with his yellow-green eyes. “You aren’t wearing shoes, and I’ll not have you injuring your feet.”
Cassie had never seen eyes as mesmerizing as Kyle’s. “You’re not wearing shoes either,” she pointed out with a lift of her chin. “Tell me how you know Ben.”
“I’ll make you deal,” he offered, lifting his head to study their surroundings as he trekked along at a steady pace.
Cassie tightened her arm around his neck in hopes of alleviating some of her weight. “I’m listening.”
“If you allow me to carry you the rest of the way to the Murphy sisters, I’ll tell you everything about myself, including how I came to be here tonight.”
That caught her interest. She adjusted the robe across her legs. “Okay, deal. But if I become too heavy, please tell me.”
“No worries. I’m stronger than I look.”
Cassandra listened in amazement as Kyle recited the details of how he came to be in her life.
She stared at his profile in disbelief. “So, you’re telling me that you are my cat, Psycho?”
He merely nodded, never slowing his steps.
“I can’t believe it. All this time that you have been with me, how come you never revealed yourself? I mean, Jesus, it’s been years.”
“I was sent to you by the Murphy sisters to protect you from Harvey, which I failed to do. I was never meant to stay beyond your childhood.”
“Then why are you still here? And you didn’t fail in anything.” She thought of her stepfather’s break-in and the timing of the deputies responding to a call about shots being fired in her area.
“You were the one that called the sheriff’s department.” It wasn’t a question.
He glanced down, briefly meeting her gaze. “I was almost too late. Had they not shown up when they did, I would’ve had no choice but to show myself. I imagine I would have gone to jail alongside Harvey, if you didn’t shoot me first.”
“Why would you think I’d shoot you?”
He sent her a small smile. “A naked stranger bursting through your door?”
“I see your point, but Harvey had the gun. I didn’t.”
“Yes, well, I had no way of knowing that at the time. I had to shift in your bedroom in order to call 911. I barely had time to return to feline form before Harvey noticed me and tossed me outside. The cops made their appearance in the nick of time. But nothing compared to the relief I felt when Malik arrived.”
Cassie’s heart ached with the mention of her lover’s name. “I’d prefer not to discuss Malik Devain.”
“Malik saved your life, Cassandra,” Kyle murmured softly. “He loves you.”
“He deceived me.”
Kyle spoke without slowing. “If you want to get technical, I deceived you as well.”
“And you were sent to protect me as Ben protects Carly. Malik came to kill us all.”
“Perhaps,” Kyle conceded. “But he didn’t kill you. He took the life of his uncle to save yours. That should tell you something about his feelings for you.”
Cassie felt conflicted. Malik was a vampire sent to kill off the Sanders family and everyone close to them, including her; yet he’d done the opposite by annihilating his own flesh and blood.
“I trusted him, Kyle. He should have come clean with me before I…”
“Before you what? Fell in love with him?”
She wanted to scream that yes, she’d fallen in love with Malik and given herself to him in a way she had never been able to with another before him.
Instead, she said, “I don’t love him. He was a mistake, and I’m done talking about it.”
Kyle remained quiet for a long moment. When he spoke, Cassie could hear the underlying sorrow in his voice. “I lost the only woman I have ever loved due to stubbornness on my part. I allowed my jealousy and distrustful nature to drive her into the arms of another. I pray you do not make that same mistake.”
Curiosity overrode Cassie’s painful musings. “Are you still in touch with her?”
He shook his head. “I have not seen Rebecca since 1918.”
Cassandra’s mouth dropped open. “Holy…1918? How old are you?”
“Older than I look, I assure you.”
They broke through the tree line and the Murphy sisters’ house came into view. Memories of sitting on the porch swing, drinking sweet tea poured through Cassie like warm water.
“I spent most of my life in that house,” Cassie softly admitted. “It was my safe haven when things got bad. And things were always bad.”
Kyle placed a chaste kiss on the top of her head. “I remember, kid.”
“It’s still hard to believe that you are
the cat I grew up with. I’m trying to wrap my mind around it…”
“I’m sure it’s going to take some time to digest it all, and I’ll be here to answer any questions that you have.”
Another thought struck Cassie, and her face burned with embarrassment. “You’ve seen me shower, change clothes, and—”
“Sing off-key,” he interrupted with a laugh. “No worries, Cassie love. I honored your privacy above all else. I would never have disrespected you in such a way.”
Cassie believed him. Her shoulders relaxed, and she inhaled deeply as he deposited her on the steps of the porch.
She gently squeezed his hand. “Thank you for everything.”
“No thanks necessary, sweet girl. I would protect you with my life.”
The door burst open, and Carly came running out. She threw her arms around Cassie, nearly toppling them both down the steep steps. “Oh, thank God, you’re all right, Cass. I have been worried sick.”
Cassie hugged her back. “I’m fine, Carls. Are you okay? Where is Grayson?”
“He’s sleeping in one of the spare rooms.” Carly broke off the hug and took hold of Cassie’s hand. “Let’s go inside. Everyone is worried sick about you.”
Motioning for Kyle to follow, Cassandra preceded Carly through the screen door of the Murphy sisters’ kitchen.
Sadie, Madge, and Logan sat around the breakfast table, sipping on coffee and nibbling on donuts while Adele busied herself preparing a fresh pot of Columbian blend.
Cassie would know that smell anywhere. The sisters were creatures of habit, and they’d been drinking the same brand of coffee for as long as Cassandra could remember.
Logan got to his feet first and embraced Cassie before pouring her a cup of coffee from the carafe resting in the center of the table.
He peered over the top of her head. “Kyle. Can I get you anything? Something to eat or drink? Maybe some clothes?”
The corner of Kyle’s mouth lifted. “I appreciate that, but I think I’ll go purr myself to sleep somewhere.” After placing a kiss on Cassie’s forehead, Kyle trailed off toward the living room.
“Sit down, Cassandra, and tell us what happened,” Sadie murmured, patting the vacant chair next to her.
Cassie reluctantly took a seat. She really didn’t feel up to reciting the night’s events, but the sisters had never been known for letting things go, and this time would be no different. She blew out a shaky breath. “Where to begin…?”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Malik arose with the setting sun. Though his body had healed during sleep, his heart remained crippled.
The accusing look in Cassandra’s eyes would haunt him for centuries to come. He’d let her down the same as her family had her entire life. Regaining her trust wouldn’t be easy, but he was determined to try.
He threw his legs over the side of the bed and got to his feet. He needed to return to his hotel room, assess the damage, and change his clothes.
Footsteps could be heard from above him, along with voices and the scent of a shifter. Logan Sanders, Malik assumed, leaving the room and slipping into the hall.
Logan’s deep voice rang out from the living room. “Well, he needs to be gone before Cassie shows up. She doesn’t want to see him.”
“He loves her, Logan.” Ben’s quiet words surprised Malik. He hadn’t expected the big familiar to come to his defense.
Sanders immediately retaliated. “It doesn’t matter. He’s a vampire, in case you’ve forgotten.”
“Logan Sanders,” Carly barked. “I’m surprised at you. How can you say that after everything your father put us through? He shouldn’t have tried to stand in the way of true love, and neither should you.”
Yeah, Malik definitely liked Logan’s wife. “No worries,” Malik announced, stepping into the living room. “I’ll be on my way.” He met Carly’s concerned gaze. “If Cassandra does show up here, will you let her know that I’ll be at the hotel and I really need to talk to her?”
Carly’s gaze softened. “You don’t have to go, Mr. Devain. Logan is the pot calling the kettle black. It’s not his decision who Cassie chooses to love. And she does love you.”
Malik’s chest constricted. “She told you this?”
“Not in so many words, but I can see it in her eyes. She’s in shock right now and will need some time to come to terms with everything that’s happened. She’ll come around. I just know it.”
“Then perhaps it is best that I take my leave and give her some space.” Malik nodded to Carly and extended his hand to Logan. “Thank you for not staking me in my sleep.”
Logan’s shoulders visibly relaxed. He accepted Malik’s outstretched hand. “Thank you for not killing my father last night. I understand your uncle’s reasoning for wanting him dead, but my dad wasn’t responsible for Ursula’s death.”
Malik released Logan’s palm. “Are you sure about that?”
“I’m not entirely sure about anything when it comes to my old man, but I do think you should hear him out.”
The only person Malik was interested in speaking with at the moment was Cassandra. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
With a nod in Ben’s direction, Malik pulled open the door and waited for Logan to call off his wolves before stepping onto the porch and blurring his way toward town.
He could easily kill the two animals or outrun them for that matter, but respect from beasts such as Alabama and Kojak was better earned through submission. And if Malik intended on visiting the ranch again, he needed to prove he wasn’t a threat.
Kyle—or Psycho, as Cassie referred to him—was a different matter altogether. It roasted Malik’s ass to have the exotic-looking familiar traipsing around Cassandra half dressed. She would no longer need Kyle in her life once she had Malik’s protection. If she will accept it…
* * * *
Malik spent the next hour answering questions and giving an account to the police on his whereabouts during the break-in of his hotel room.
After explaining that he’d stayed the night at Logan Sanders’ ranch, and had no valuables in his room at the time of the supposed robbery, Malik was handed a key by the hotel’s manager.
“This goes to the new door we had replaced this morning. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. If you find that anything is missing, please let me or one of the housekeepers know, and I’ll see to it that you are compensated. As for the rest of your stay, it’s on us.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Malik assured her. “No harm has been done. I’m more than happy to pay for the room’s rent.”
The manager studied him for a moment. “If you’re sure?”
“I’m positive. Now if you’ll excuse me, I am in dire need of a shower.”
“Oh, I— Yes, of course,” the elder woman stammered. “Have a good evening, Mr. Devain.”
Malik trailed off toward the staircase, wearing nothing but his borrowed jeans. He’d been so lost in thoughts of Cassandra he hadn’t thought about showing up at the hotel without a shirt or shoes on his person.
He arrived at his room seconds later, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.
Cassandra’s scent still lingered, faint but discernable. His gaze landed on the bed they’d recently made love in. The linens had been changed, removing any physical evidence that she’d been there at all.
Malik turned from the reminder of the most incredible mating he’d ever experienced and padded across the floor to the bathroom. He needed to shower and feed. It had been days since his last meal.
Cassie’s essence hit him full force upon opening the bathroom door. Her clothes from the night she’d showered there were folded neatly and stacked on the counter connected to the sink. Her necklace rested next to them.
Malik’s fangs descended, and his body came alive as the unique scent that was Cassie invaded his senses.
Picking up her shirt, he brought it to his nose, basking in her sweet smell. He reached for the zipper of his jeans to free h
is erection as he stood there, breathing her in.
What was he going to do if she rejected him? Could he go through the rest of his life without her?
Malik stilled at the sound of footsteps ascending the stairs. He returned Cassandra’s shirt to the counter and blurred his way across the room in anticipation of trouble. He didn’t have long to wait.
A knock sounded, and a deep voice echoed from the hall. “It’s Logan Sanders.”
Malik opened the door in surprise. “What brings you here?”
“We need to talk,” Logan announced, stepping into the room without waiting for an invitation.
Closing the door, Malik gestured to a chair perched in front of a desk beneath the window. “Have a seat.”
Logan stopped in the center of the room. “I prefer to stand.”
“Very well.” Malik stood also, his feet spread apart and his arms crossed over his bare chest. “I’m listening.”
“I’m here about Cassandra.”
Malik raised an eyebrow. “I gathered as much.”
“Look, Devain. I’ve known Cassie my entire life. She is my wife’s closest friend. Carly and I both care about Cassandra and what happens to her.”
“As do I,” Malik stated with finality. “If you have come here to ask me to leave, you’re wasting your breath. I’ll not go without her.”
Logan sighed and ran a hand down his face. “I’m not asking you to leave. Although, if it were up to me, I would kill you and be done with it.”
Malik slowly uncrossed his arms. “What are you waiting for, shifter?”
“Relax, vampire. I’m not here looking for a fight. I’m here because I couldn’t prevent my wife from coming any other way.”
The corner of Malik’s mouth lifted. “Ah, yes. I do like your wife, Logan. She’s a rare jewel indeed.”
“She’s also stubborn to a fault, and she somehow has it in her head that you are the right man for Cassie; no matter that you’re not a man at all.”
“And you disagree.” It wasn’t a question.
Logan stared back at him for a long moment. “I need to know what your intentions are. I won’t allow Cassandra to be hurt by you.”
Cassandra (Scruples Book 2) Page 12
