Her body shook with her sobs. Lyn looked up at Ky through her tears, and found him staring at her. His eyes softened, his weight shifted nervously between his feet.
The man sat on the bed, the mattress sinking under his weight. He took her chin in his hand, forced her to meet his eyes. “I shouldn’t have made that comment about you getting yourself killed. Sometimes my internal filter doesn’t work. I apologize, Lyn.” He paused. She saw the sincerity of his apology in his eyes. “It is my fault, honey. If I had been quicker you would not have gotten hurt.”
She attempted to shake her head in protest, but his grip forestalled her. “You did nothing wrong. You saved me. If you hadn’t been there…” Another sob shook her body, keeping her from completing the sentence.
Ky gathered her into his arms. “Shhh. Please don’t cry.”
He drew her onto his lap, tucking her head against his shoulder. A sensation of comfort and reassurance cocooned around her to sooth her like a warm balm.
“Lyn, you have to stop crying, honey. My heart can’t take it.”
Her breath hitched in her lungs. He lifted her as if she weighed no more than a child and rocked her, holding her to him in a tender embrace as if he cared for her. But she knew better. Love at first sight did not exist.
Did it?
His concern did seem genuine. And the way he said honey sounded more like an endearment than a general term.
She pushed the train of thought aside, refusing to allow her mind to continue down that track. She needed to get a grip. It must be the trauma from last night.
She needed someone to lean on, and this handsome man, who had rescued her, happened to be here to cling to. She knew the term for that—hero worship.
As much as she would like to stay here and hide away from her problems, she couldn’t. She had to go out and face her fears. And no handsome stud muffin was going to stop her, no matter how protected and safe he made her feel. She wanted some space, some time away from him, so she could get perspective.
“I need a shower.” She pushed out of the comfort of his arms.
Ky stood, helping her to her feet. “Sure. The bathroom is through that door. I’ll bring you some clean towels.”
Lyn wiped the tears from her eyes and sniffled. “Do you happen to have something I could wear?”
A small, mischievous grin lifted the corners of his mouth as his gaze burned over her body. “I’m sure I can find something.”
Lyn watched him leave the room, appreciating the way his jeans hugged the curves of his backside. She sighed. He was gorgeous and sweet. He appeared to care about her. He was…too good to be true.
She’d allowed one man to snare her in his charismatic lies, and it had almost gotten her killed. She mentally kicked herself for nearly allowing it to happen again.
Ky Robinson might be handsome, but she didn’t know him.
And she would not make the same mistake twice.
After a quick shower, I’m out of here.
Chapter Three
Ky reached for a bath towel knowing he would never be able to let her leave his home. He chose one of his favorite T-shirts for her to wear. It would be big, probably fall to her knees to drape over her body in a most delicious way. He imagined her in the bathroom, his shirt clinging to her wet body, hair dripping down her back. Shit! His libido awakened once more, which seemed to happen every time he thought about her.
If this was what it was like between heartmates, no wonder so many of them disappeared for months once they found each other. He struggled to keep his hands off her. And the attraction was more than just physical. He loved her fiery spirit, her determination to face her fears.
The holes in his life could be filled by her, as if she were the other half of his soul. Finding her gave him a sense of peace. A comfort he never again wanted to be without. He now understood why heartmates often chose to follow one another in death. He had almost lost her before he’d found her.
Ky needed to find the debauchee, but he had nothing to go on. The name the vampire gave to Lyn had obviously been a fake. He’d picked her up at her place, so they didn’t know where the monster lived. All Ky knew for sure was that the debauchee knew how to use the internet and possibly frequented the bar down on Fifth Street. Not much to go on, but he had found him once and he would find a way to do so again.
Ky took the towel and shirt into her room. Knocking on the bathroom door he called out, “Lyn, I have your stuff. You want me to leave them by the door or bring them in?” Please say bring them in.
“You can leave them by the door. And please close the bedroom door when you leave.”
Damn! Not that he had truly expected her to bid him join her in the bathroom, but a vampire could hope. “I’m going to make us a little something to eat. Call if you need anything. I’ll hear you.”
“Thanks,” the sultry, disembodied voice called from behind the door.
Twenty minutes later, Ky almost sliced his finger off when Lyn appeared in his kitchen dressed in his T-shirt, toweling her hair dry. With her hands lifted to her head, his shirt fell about half way down her thighs, allowing him a glimpse of her lithe legs. Her breasts jiggled as she worked.
“What are you cooking?” she asked bringing his thoughts back to the task at hand.
“An omelet.” His knife sliced through the ham. He used it to scoop the cubed meat into his hand. Dumping it into a pan, he turned his attention back to her. “I hope you like eggs.”
“Eggs are fine. It smells good.”
He tipped his chin toward the round table in the middle of the room. “Great. Yours is ready. Go ahead and eat. Mine will be done in a moment.” He flipped the omelet with a spatula, appreciating the way her hips swayed as she made her way over to table.
Lyn sat and much to his satisfaction, her stomach growled its approval at the feast before her. In addition to the omelet he’d made, freshly squeezed orange juice and a cup of coffee awaited her. He’d also placed a pile of toast, stacked high on a plate in the middle of the table next to some butter.
Ky brought his plate to the table and sat in the chair next to her. “Can I get you anything else?”
Her chocolate eyes widened. “No. This is more than enough. I usually don’t eat this much for breakfast.” Her gaze darted to the kitchen window. “It’s still dark outside. I thought the sun would be up by now.”
“The sun won’t be up for several hours yet.” Ky took a bite of his eggs.
“What time is it? I can’t seem to find a clock in this place.”
Ky looked at his watch. His body could feel the sun rise and set, so until now, he’d never noted the lack of clocks in his home. “It’s midnight.”
“Midnight!” Her brows shot up in surprise. “I slept all day?”
His shoulders lifted in an insouciant shrug. “You needed to rest to give the drug time to get out of your system.”
She took a sip of coffee. A low moan of pleasure left her lips, making Ky’s body tighten in response to the sumptuous sound. “Well it’s out now. I’m fine. I’ll be going home after I eat.”
Ky went as still as his river on a calm day. He fought to keep the anger and trepidation from his face. She intended to go home.
Not going to happen.
“What?” she asked impatiently. Lyn nervously stabbed a piece of her omelet, her fork clinking against the ceramic plate.
“You aren’t leaving,” he replied in a soft voice, crossing his arms over his chest.
She put her fork down on her plate with more force than necessary. “What do you mean I’m not leaving? Of course, I’m leaving. I need to get home. I have to go to work tomorrow.”
“It isn’t safe, Lyn.”
Her attacker knew where she lived, and the bastard would come back. They always did. Ky had to make sure she remained safe, even if it was against her will. He didn’t want to have to use mind control to force her compliance, but if she wouldn’t be reasonable than he would do whatever it took to keep her prote
cted.
“Why?”
“Because the…your attacker knows where you live.” He watched the color blanch from her face, her bronze skin turn ghostly pale.
Lyn’s fingers covered the raw wound on her throat. “You think he would come find me.”
“Yes.” He refused to sugar coat this, hoped that brutal honesty might keep her with him. “I think he will want to finish what he started, unless we stop him. The way I see it, honey, it’s you or him. And I pick you. Stay here with me where I can protect you. We’ll figure out a way to find him and once he has been eliminated, you’ll be safe.”
“How can we find him? We don’t know his real name.”
Ky reached out to take her hand in his, thankful she did not pull away. His finger stroked the warm, soft skin on the back of her delicate hand. “I promise you, Lyn, I will not rest until I find him.”
“But I don’t even know your full name. How can I stay here? I don’t know you.” She pulled her hand from his.
He leaned back in his chair, putting a small compulsion in his voice to help ensure she would believe the next thing he said. “You already know enough about me to feel safe. You know I saved your life. You know that if I wanted to hurt you, I could have done so already. You know that I can make a mean breakfast, so you’ll be well fed.” He let his smile reached his light blue eyes to disarm her. “I can take care of you, Lyn. Let me. Say you’ll stay.”
He allowed her to feel his sincerity, it poured from him to surround her in its warmth, in an effort to make her feel secure, cared for. He pushed into her mind to discover she believed him, thought it wise to stay with him.
At least no one, including the male who attacked her, could find her here.
“Fine,” she said at last. “But tell me what Ky is short for.”
“First, you tell me what Lyn is short for,” he countered, taking a sip of his coffee.
She swallowed the last bite of her omelet before answering. “Daelyn.”
“And your last name is…” His eyes never left hers while he finished his own eggs.
“Torres.”
“Daelyn Torres.” He tested the sound of her name on his lips, finding it as beautiful as she. “Well, Daelyn Torres, let’s get these dishes cleaned up. We have a lot left to do tonight.”
“Like what?” Lyn cleared her dishes from the table.
“Like we need to go back to your place and get some clothes. As much as I admire the way you look in my shirt, I think you should have your own clothes.”
“I’ll need some work clothes for sure. I have a huge pile of receipts waiting on my desk for tomorrow. My boss, at the accounting firm, wants the books balanced and a report on his desk by the end of the week.”
Ky began rinsing the dishes in the sink. “You can’t go to work until we dispose of your attacker. It isn’t safe.”
Lyn stopped mid-stride. “Listen, Ky, I have meetings, things that require my attention. I have to go to work.”
He watched the fire burn in her eyes, fueled by her anger.
He despised using the power of his voice on her again, but they did not have time for her foolhardiness. He couldn’t protect her during the day. Though the vampire would be in his day sleep, he could have minions who would take her from her place of business. No, he definitely could not risk her safety by allowing her to work, at least not until he killed her attacker.
He captured her eyes with his enthralling stare, putting a strong compulsion behind his voice as he slipped into her mind. Daelyn, you will email the accounting office tonight. Tell them you are ill and the doctor has advised you to take some time off. Inform them you will email or call again in a few days to update them.
He released the enthrall, feeling like a bastard for manipulating her. But dammit, he must keep her safe. He couldn’t tell her what kind of monster she was up against—at least not yet.
“Ky, have you seen my cell? I need to send an email.”
“It’s in the living room,” he answered without meeting her eyes, his guilt riding him hard.
Chapter Four
Ky pushed through the front door, closing it behind him with a soft click. He sauntered to the fridge, and sent his senses throughout the bungalow to find his mate in her bedroom. And like the previous five nights, she slept.
He’d been working hard to run down leads to find her attacker. He made it his priority case and since he’d already been working on finding the rogue before her attack, his boss thought nothing of his tenacity about tracking the male down. But he knew otherwise. He knew that before meeting Lyn he had merely wanted to find the debauchee, but now obsession to destroy the monster consumed his thoughts.
Ky pulled a beer from the refrigerator and popped the top with a fang. He took a long pull from the bottle before heading down the hall to check on Daelyn. Ky pushed her door open, and looked on her sleeping form. The television played an old black and white movie, the screen sending gray shadows to dance over Lyn's body.
Daelyn lay on her side, her beautiful face turned his way as if she fell asleep waiting for him to come to her. Her dark hair fell delicately over her cheek, begging for his touch. He padded to her on silent feet and took the errant strand between his fingers. Tucking it behind her ear, his hand then slid down her side to grab the linen gathered at her hips. His eyes followed the sheet as it slid up her body, molding to the delicate curves. He slipped it over her shoulder, and bent to kiss her cheek. In a soft caress, his lips brushed her warm flesh, then he clicked off the TV using the remote by the bed.
He breathed her in. The now familiar combination of chamomile and jasmine sent a heated rush of desire to his belly. Her scent drove him wild. It called to his animalistic nature, demanding that he make her his. He battled constantly to keep his inner beast reined. He wanted her with a desperation he’d never before experienced, couldn’t wait to be at her throat, taking her essence into his mouth as he sank inside the warm heat of her body. He would be surrounded by her inside and out. His fangs lengthened as images of her in the throes of passion paraded through his mind.
He knew he cared about her. During the past week, they spent a lot of time talking. He found Lyn intelligent and kind, beautiful on the inside and out. Ky adored her, and he hoped she had developed feelings for him as well.
He knew he tempted her. It was evidenced by the way she looked at him, the way her eyes would darken with hunger. And he’d given her plenty of opportunities to notice. Coming out of the shower with only a towel wrapped around his lean hips, convincing her to take a midnight swim with him in the river. All were bids to garner her attention. While he did not doubt her attraction to him, did she feel genuine affection for him?
Wanting to know the answer to his question, the warrior pushed into his mate’s mind, and sorted through the information until he found what he wanted. His answer—yes. Lyn found him charming and brave, had begun to care about him.
A smile of pure male satisfaction took his face. He’d like nothing better than to strip away his work clothes and slide into bed with her. She would welcome him, of that he had no doubt. He had seen it in her mind. The demure demon wanted him almost as desperately as he did her.
He would be an attentive lover, put her pleasure before his own, but not tonight. The first time they made love would be exactly that, making love not sex. He wanted her body and soul. He needed to know she had chosen him, to give him her commitment, her life, not just her body. They would have their time, but not tonight. Tonight he needed to cool off, step away from the decadent temptation that her body presented.
He forced his legs to take him outside, hoping nature might provide a distraction. Ky sat heavily in the Adirondack chair on his front porch, his finger hooked around the neck of his beer. He took another long swallow, and watched the white ibis peck at the ground. Their long burnt-orange beaks easily sliced through the sandy soil to find the bugs buried deep within. With his blue eyes tracking them, the birds’ spindly legs took them away from his h
ome in one cohesive group.
Akin to stepping into a clothes dryer, the warm air settled over him. He closed his eyes, and listened to the world around him. He could hear the rustle of palm fronds swaying in the breeze, the gentle lap of the river cresting along the shore in a soft lullaby. The salty air carried a delicate, aromatic combination of fish, soil, and pine.
Ky opened his eyes, surveying his domain. Spanish moss hung from the pines and scrub oaks like ghostly tentacles reaching out to point at the ibis as they walked beneath the trees. A three-quarter moon hung heavy in the sky, casting an ethereal glow over the land. He loved this place, this little patch of land. His oasis from the world. Here he could think, could breathe.
The vibration in his pocket drew his attention. He pulled his phone from his jeans and noted the ID. A punch of a finger connected the call.
“’Bout time you checked in,” he greeted.
His partner, Tarina, was currently off on assignment, some secretive thing that only the top brass knew anything about. As tough mentally as physically, Ky knew the female agent to be a real fem fatale. They’d worked together for decades and knew each other well. The two of them fought together with an ease that could only be gained by years together in the trenches. She would rush into any situation, take charge. Watch his back.
He almost wished she could be here now to help take out this rogue. But she was still on the special assignment, so he would have to go this one alone. His fingers itched at the thought of having another go at the vampire.
“Awww, you been worrying your handsome little head about me, Ky?” He had, but she wasn’t the kind of woman who would appreciate hearing the mushy sentiment. “How’s it hanging?”
“Not much, these days,” he muttered. Thanks to Lyn. His mind flashed the image of her in bed and his body tingled with longing.
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