by Amber Kallyn
Tonight at midnight she'd help the Keeper of the Peace restore harmony to the earth in and around Moss Creek.
Then she'd leave.
It was time to go.
Sure there were unanswered questions.
A possible coming war. Vampires and wolves and other Arcaine working together. The Rogue's commander, whoever that might be. She had a feeling answers to those questions would take a while to find. Far longer than she'd be in town.
And really, why were thoughts of staying even nipping at her mind? She had no reason to remain.
She hadn't seen Matt since the fight yesterday. There certainly wasn't an ache spreading in her chest. The man shouldn't even be on her mind.
But Anca found herself sitting on her cot, staring blankly at the canvas ceiling. Shadows stirred over it, sunlight filtered through windblown tree branches.
Whispers of fate and bonds and matching souls surrounded her.
She strained to ignore them.
Long term relationships weren't her thing. Not that anyone was offering her such a thing.
Outside, someone cleared their throat. "Anca, you here?" Matt's voice rang through the tent.
Something she didn't dare define rose inside her. Her pulse thundered.
Matt was here. Why had he come?
She slowly walked out of the tent.
On the other side of her camp, Matt stood at ease, hands behind his back, feet planted slightly apart. "May I come in?"
Unable to find her voice, Anca crossed to the wards and opened them.
He strode inside, looking her over. "How are you feeling?"
"Fine." Suddenly agitated. Nervous. Uneasy. She hurried around her campsite, straightening and packing things away.
"Really?" Matt asked. "Because you're limping, and favoring your right side. Ribs?"
"I'll heal eventually."
He grunted. "That's what I thought. Robby and I both have wounds that aren't healing."
So that was why he'd come.
Suddenly deflated, her shoulders drooped. Her every movement grew heavy. "The magic Oliver used is a highly guarded secret among a very select handful of Arcaine, and a few Judges. One being Tobias Brighton, who seems to have told the Rogues every last Council secret he knew."
Matt grunted with derision for the man.
"Few things can counteract it, and those only a little. I spoke with Jezamine after the fight. She's gathering a list of potion ingredients." She looked up at him and her lungs stopped working. Her mind went fuzzy.
The emotion, the need and worry, the raw hunger in his honeyed brown eyes, was incredible.
Stunning.
Flames roared within her. Anca turned back to the growing pile of packed supplies.
She stiffened at the sound of his steps, slowly crossing to stop right behind Anca. Only an inch or so away.
Matt's body heat billowed over her. He drew her back against his chest and wrapped his arms around her, his hands in front of her stomach.
He held a small bouquet of flowers and greenery. Large red blooms with their multiple yellow centers, rare Romanian peonies, were woven with thin vines of dog rose.
It took her breath away.
The flowers from her childhood she'd casually mentioned once in passing. And he'd remembered.
Her throat tightened. Suspicious emotions welled in her chest. The wind stirred and the earth spirits pushed them even closer together.
"These are for you," Matt said haltingly, uncomfortable and uncertain.
At the moment, she knew such feelings well. "Why?" The word popped out.
"Why what?"
"Why are you here? Why bring me flowers?" Why did she feel such overwhelming feelings for him, surging emotions that refused to go away or be ignored?
Matt reached over and set the flowers on a pile of packed supplies, then turned her in his arms.
She met his gaze, startled at the heat.
"I came for many reasons. I brought you flowers because I thought you'd enjoy them. Do you not?"
"I-I..."
He pulled a small tied pouch from one of the belt loops on his jeans. "There's this, too. Jezamine finished her concoction. I've been assured this potion will counteract the magic in our wounds."
She took the bag.
Matt searched her face. "I'm not a man used to speaking of emotion."
"I'm not much used to it either."
Nodding shortly, he continued. "So let us speak plainly, yes?"
"A-all right. About what?"
"I love you." He said it softly, simply, but with a resounding ring of truth.
Like a bomb, the words exploded between them, blazed through her. She couldn't think. "This is quite sudden."
To her surprise, he nodded. "Very much so."
"Then why?"
He let her see into the depths of his gaze. "I don't know." Confusion tightened his expression. "I know I have a need to keep you safe from everything. Including myself. I know that even though we met a short time ago, being without you feels empty. Lonely. You've changed something inside me and filled me with things I thought I was long past hoping for."
Her heart pounded.
She understood his words all too well. Felt the same way.
He continued, "You have a gypsy spirit, and settling down might not be in your plans. I'm not asking you to stay."
Her mind spun, unable to track what exactly he was saying.
Matt brushed his lips over hers. "I'm asking you to let me come with you."
She hadn't really thought about it, not consciously. Yet, there were the niggling thoughts from earlier, a part of her wishing for a reason to stay, to finally find where she could call home.
Not necessarily a place. She'd learned that long ago. But someone who made her body sing with need. Who spoke to her very soul. Who accepted all she was.
"But I'm a Judge."
"I know. I don't care. You're nothing like those I've known in the past." He nuzzled her cheek. "You're Anca Fieraru. Judge, Romani, and my love."
His?
Her heart thumped heavily, but she knew the only answer she could give.
Rising on her toes, it was she who kissed him this time. When she drew back, meeting his gaze, she replied, "And your love. As you have become mine."
His honeyed eyes glowed, and she knew.
This man was finally the one she could call her home.
***THE END***
Reader notes: The Chicago wizard for hire that Anca read about is Harry Dresden, from Jim Butcher's Dresden Files. If you haven't read this amazing series, I highly recommend it as one of my favorites :D
~ Amber Kallyn
***
~ ~
Hear From Me
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed your time with Anca and Matt as much as I did. If you have time, would you please leave a review for me? Reviews are what help authors sell more books, which in turn means I get to keep writing more for you.
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Coming Soon!
Watch for additional stories in the Red's Wolf tales, and get ready for more vampires to find their hearts.
DEDICATION
To DeAnna, and the Seven Evil Dwarves
Without you guys, this story wouldn't be as good as it is :D All remaining errors are purely the fault of the author.
Praise for Heart of a Vampire Series
Bloodstorm
When duty forces a shaman to stop a vampire from her revenge, love doesn’t just burn... it bites.
" Ms. Kallyn delivers a whirlwind of magic & intrigue that will have your heart racing for more" ~ Jami Gray, author of Shadow's Edge
"Loved It
! Wonderfully written and with a fascinating plot, Bloodstorm will keep you wanting more" ~ Crystal
Hungerstorm
After centuries alone, can a vampire king trust the woman who's woken his heart?
"These vampires are so HOT, and their lives are so intertwined with the need for a mate and family, that you can’t help but feel everything with them...." ~ Lyssa Reviews
“There is love, doubt, betrayal and action in the 2nd book of the Heart of a Vampire series.” ~ Rhonda D
Praise for Dragos Series
Dragos 1: Burned
What happens when a dragon falls in love with a fireman? Someone's bound to get... Burned.
"Intense and incendiary...I recommend this for all of the dragon lovers out there..."
~ Whipped Cream Erotic Romance
"Ms. Kallyn takes the paranormal world and adds a dangerous twist of dragons, fires, and a mysterious past to make this an intense read..." ~ Coffee Time Romance
Dragos 2: Scorched
A bounty hunter and a dragon on opposite sides of the law? Even dragons can be Scorched by love.
"SCORCHED is a wildly passionate, captivating, ‘steal your heart’ read that is sure to bring a smile to the reader’s face..." ~ Romance Junkies
"intriguing moments in the story when things become much more than two people coming together, and these surprises make this a very good reading experience..."
~ Whipped Cream Erotic Romance
Titles by Amber Kallyn
(Paranormal Romance)
Heart of a Vampire
Bloodstorm
Hungerstorm
Darkstorm
Magicstorm
Firestorm
Demonstorm
Coldstorm
(Erotic Paranormal Romance)
The Dragos Series
Dragos 1: Burned
Dragos 1.5: Mistletoe
Dragos 2: Scorched
Dragos 3: Blazed
Dragos 4: Inflamed
Red’s Wolf (Short story series)
Volume 1: Beginnings
Volume 2: Changes
Volume 3: Obsessions
(Erotic Contemporary Romance)
Ménage Me
Ménage Me Once
Ménage Me Again
Ménage Me Forever
For free goodies and stories, visit my website at
www.AmberKallyn.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
One of those rare breeds, Amber Kallyn is an Arizona native who can trace her family's history through six generations in the state. She lives with her four very active children. Included in the menagerie are quite a few rescue cats (though there's always room for more).
Amber loves the paranormal, from dragons to werewolves to vampires. She's currently at work on her next book, probably running around the house acting out a fight scene with her collection of swords and daggers. Or maybe, wishing she had claws to practice the other fight scenes.
A voracious lover of the written word, Amber found at an early age that she could read fast. Really fast. She devours novels by the day, novellas by the hour, and is always looking to get her hands on more.
