small. But nothing other than the tape recorder and the table had been left.
Thomas was sure to have more hiding places. How was she going to find him?
Steps sounded above, thudding into the living room.
Niki blended into the shadows behind the stairs, waiting for whoever was above to come down. The steps creaked beneath their weight.
A shadow stepped onto the floor and Niki flowed with the shadows, getting close. With a cry, she sprung, grabbing him by the throat and throwing him to the floor. Leaping fast, she pinned him down. Her fingers flexed as she struggled to control her anger.
Recognition hit and she blinked. “What are you doing here?”
Shane glared up at her. “Since you didn’t wait for me,” he growled, “I had to track you down. Again.”
She leaned back, still straddling him. “You’ve got to stop doing that.”
“ Why?”
“ Because.” She felt as inane as her answer sounded.
They realized their position at the same time. His body tensed. Slowly, his hands came to her waist.
Her breathing caught, then came faster as he hardened beneath her.
His eyes brightened with that strange golden glow. “Niki,” he whispered. “You want to move before I lose it.”
She scrambled away, trying to resist the urge to let him put his hands back on her. This time, on bare skin.
Shane shook himself as he sat up, fists curling against his thighs. His erection strained at his jeans. Niki flushed, yanking her gaze away.
“ Business,” he ground out. After a long moment he met her gaze. “Where’s the boy?”
“ I took him to MacDougal. The King can keep him safe.”
“ Good.” He glanced around the room. “Did you find anything?”
She jerked her chin toward the broken recorder.
“ Temper much?”
“ You didn’t hear it.”
Standing, Shane held out a hand. She stared at him for a long moment before allowing him to help her up. As soon as she was on her feet, she released his burning touch.
“ Thomas was here, but he’s long gone now,” she said. “I don’t know where to start looking.”
He leaned close, until their breath mingled. “That’s where I can help.”
“ How?” she whispered, trying to swallow as her throat closed up.
“ It’s my job to know what’s going on in this town, if you’ve forgotten.”
“ No.” How could she forget who, what, he was.
“ I know this place.”
“ So where is Thomas?”
“ First, we head to the bar.”
“ I’m not up for a drink and dancing.”
Shane headed up the stairs. When she didn’t move, he turned around. “Coming?” His gaze was hard, daring her to say no.
Considering she didn’t really have a choice, she followed.
At the top of the stairs, Shane added, “Ever heard the saying ‘use all your resources’?”
“ Is that what you are? A resource?”
He stopped and faced her. “I don’t know what I am to you.”
She fidgeted under the intensity of his stare.
“ No smartass comment to that?”
“ No.” What could she say? She was confused and uncertain. Niki didn’t even want to admit such a thing to herself.
He sighed and shook his head. “Let’s go.”
She stepped out onto the porch, Shane behind her. The sun had set while they were in the farmhouse and now only the last hints of day lit the sky.
Around them, the forest was unnaturally quiet.
Niki sniffed the air and caught the distinct scent of one of the vampires from the motel.
Shots rang out.
***
A boom startled Shane. He shoved Niki behind him. Fiery pain slammed into his shoulder, flinging him against the wall.
Niki dragged him to the wooden floor and crouched by his side, searching the shadows of the forest. Her eyes blazed pure red.
She sniffed the air. “Two vampires.”
“ Who?” The pain in his shoulder cooled into a freezing ache.
Her gaze turned to him and he had to brace himself against the power in her eyes. “The guys from the Inn today.”
Another shot rang out and splinters rained down from the wall.
Thomas was sure to have more hiding places. How was she going to find him?
Steps sounded above, thudding into the living room.
Niki blended into the shadows behind the stairs, waiting for whoever was above to come down. The steps creaked beneath their weight.
A shadow stepped onto the floor and Niki flowed with the shadows, getting close. With a cry, she sprung, grabbing him by the throat and throwing him to the floor. Leaping fast, she pinned him down. Her fingers flexed as she struggled to control her anger.
Recognition hit and she blinked. “What are you doing here?”
Shane glared up at her. “Since you didn’t wait for me,” he growled, “I had to track you down. Again.”
She leaned back, still straddling him. “You’ve got to stop doing that.”
“ Why?”
“ Because.” She felt as inane as her answer sounded.
They realized their position at the same time. His body tensed. Slowly, his hands came to her waist.
Her breathing caught, then came faster as he hardened beneath her.
His eyes brightened with that strange golden glow. “Niki,” he whispered. “You want to move before I lose it.”
She scrambled away, trying to resist the urge to let him put his hands back on her. This time, on bare skin.
Shane shook himself as he sat up, fists curling against his thighs. His erection strained at his jeans. Niki flushed, yanking her gaze away.
“ Business,” he ground out. After a long moment he met her gaze. “Where’s the boy?”
“ I took him to MacDougal. The King can keep him safe.”
“ Good.” He glanced around the room. “Did you find anything?”
She jerked her chin toward the broken recorder.
“ Temper much?”
“ You didn’t hear it.”
Standing, Shane held out a hand. She stared at him for a long moment before allowing him to help her up. As soon as she was on her feet, she released his burning touch.
“ Thomas was here, but he’s long gone now,” she said. “I don’t know where to start looking.”
He leaned close, until their breath mingled. “That’s where I can help.”
“ How?” she whispered, trying to swallow as her throat closed up.
“ It’s my job to know what’s going on in this town, if you’ve forgotten.”
“ No.” How could she forget who, what, he was.
“ I know this place.”
“ So where is Thomas?”
“ First, we head to the bar.”
“ I’m not up for a drink and dancing.”
Shane headed up the stairs. When she didn’t move, he turned around. “Coming?” His gaze was hard, daring her to say no.
Considering she didn’t really have a choice, she followed.
At the top of the stairs, Shane added, “Ever heard the saying ‘use all your resources’?”
“ Is that what you are? A resource?”
He stopped and faced her. “I don’t know what I am to you.”
She fidgeted under the intensity of his stare.
“ No smartass comment to that?”
“ No.” What could she say? She was confused and uncertain. Niki didn’t even want to admit such a thing to herself.
He sighed and shook his head. “Let’s go.”
She stepped out onto the porch, Shane behind her. The sun had set while they were in the farmhouse and now only the last hints of day lit the sky.
Around them, the forest was unnaturally quiet.
Niki sniffed the air and caught the distinct scent of one of the vampires from the motel.
Shots rang out.
***
A boom startled Shane. He shoved Niki behind him. Fiery pain slammed into his shoulder, flinging him against the wall.
Niki dragged him to the wooden floor and crouched by his side, searching the shadows of the forest. Her eyes blazed pure red.
She sniffed the air. “Two vampires.”
“ Who?” The pain in his shoulder cooled into a freezing ache.
Her gaze turned to him and he had to brace himself against the power in her eyes. “The guys from the Inn today.”
Another shot rang out and splinters rained down from the wall.
Similar Books
