Darkfire Kiss by Deborah Cooke Page B

more determined to find out.
    “Bullshit,” she said. “You wouldn’t be hiding the truth from me if it didn’t matter. What’s darkfire?”
    He cast a glance over his shoulder, leveling a cool look at her. “Nothing I need to tell you about.”
    “Why not?” There was nothing more infuriating to Melissa than a man saying she didn’t need to know some aspect of reality. She could take whatever truth he dished out. She pursued him across the room and touched his elbow. A green-blue flame leapt between them at the point of contact.
    His friend swore and took a step backward, his shock clear.
    Melissa looked between the two of them. “It seems to affect me. Looks like I have a right to know!”
    Mr. Conscience turned then, his eyes narrowed. “But I don’t trust you.”
    Melissa smiled. “Why not?”
    “Because you’ve already told the world too much.” Anger thrummed beneath the rich depths of his voice. “I see no reason to tell you anything more. I see no reason to give you the power to destroy us.”
    Oh, that was interesting. This flame was big, big stuff. There was a story behind it, and realizing as much only made Melissa more determined to learn what it was.
    His lip curled. “Particularly not so you can get a job.”
    That he could dismiss her objectives without understanding anything about her, that he could judge her and find her wanting without two crumbs of the truth, just made Melissa mad.
    “Not even to make a deal?” she challenged, then took a step back as his eyes flashed with answering fury.

Chapter 5
     
    O utrageous! That she thought she could negotiate after her willful exposure of the Pyr pushed Rafferty over the edge. This woman had put all of his fellows at risk, for no other reason than to share what she knew. He had no doubt that any other secrets she worked free of him would end up on that blog, as well.
    As determined as he was to not shift in her presence, her defiance provoked him almost beyond reason.
    Maybe that was her plan. Hadn’t she pledged to the man on the phone that she’d get daylight pictures of the Pyr ? Rafferty was glad of the sharp hearing that was characteristic of his kind—although he didn’t welcome the news, he was glad to know her intent.
    That this woman, this opportunist , was the mate chosen for him by destiny and the Great Wyvern was a disappointment beyond Rafferty’s current comprehension.
    He’d mourn that fact later.
    He’d atone for his crime later.
    First things first.
    “You tricked me about the camera,” he said.
    Melissa smiled a little, that smile feeding Rafferty’s libido in a dangerous way. Her lips had such a ripe fullness to them, and were tempting enough—when she smiled, just a little, he had a hard time thinking of doing anything other than kissing her. “I guessed what you’d want. I thought you might follow me to get it.” She shrugged. “So I prepared for that eventuality.”
    “Your planning could have been a little more complete,” Rafferty said. “Did you plan for Magnus to surprise you in his home?”
    Her alarm showed for only a heartbeat, just a glimmer in her eyes, before bravado dismissed it. She had been surprised, then. “I thought he might be home or come home. I didn’t realize what he might become.” She lifted her shoulders. “Could I really have prepared for that?”
    “You could have avoided breaking into his house, maybe not stolen from him.” Rafferty scooped up the book from the floor. She reached for it, but he held it beyond her grasp.
    “You’re not his friend,” she charged, pursuing him. “What difference to you?”
    “You entered his house, and you stole from him. You call yourself a journalist, but I don’t think that’s responsible pursuit of a story.” He shook the book before her, his heart pounding that they were toe to toe. “Is that why you have to negotiate to get a job?”
    She slapped him hard, right across the cheek.
    It didn’t hurt Rafferty, but it astounded