their psychic power swoop across the room, zeroing in on Shanna’s mind.
Her purse fell to the floor. She moaned and pressed the heels of her palms against her temples.
Roman hovered over her mentally to see if she was all right. She was. She had erected a shield with more speed and energy than he thought humanly possible. Amazing.
Gregori reinforced his attack, blanketing her with icy determination. Your thoughts will be mine!
And mine. Connor’s mind chiseled at her defenses.
No! Roman shot his friends a warning look. They recoiled, staring at him, stunned. They had expected resistance from Shanna, not him. But the truth was, he wanted her thoughts to himself. And he wanted her safe. That much psychic force might be needed to crack her defenses, but once her shield crumbled, all that power could rip through her mind, leaving it in shreds.
He strode toward her and pulled her against his chest. “Are you all right?”
She leaned against him. “I don’t feel good. My head… I’m so cold.”
“You’ll be okay.” He wrapped his arms around her, wishing his old carcass could produce more body heat. “You’ll be safe with me.” He covered the back of her head with his hand as if to protect her mind from further assault.
His two friends exchanged worried looks.
Connor cleared his throat. “Could I have a word with you?”
“In a moment.” They expected an explanation, but damned if Roman knew what to say. How could he explain all these strange feelings that were consuming him tonight? Lust, desire, fear, amusement, guilt, remorse. It was as if meeting Shanna had woken his heart from a deep sleep. He hadn’t realized how dead he was before meeting her. And how alive he felt now.
A shudder jolted through her body. “Come and rest.” He guided her toward the velvet chaise where he had fed on VANNA earlier that night.
She curled up on the chaise, wrapping her arms around herself. “I’m so cold.”
He considered dragging in the suede comforter from his king-sized bed in the adjoining room, then he spotted a burgundy chenille blanket draped over one of the wing-back chairs. He never used it, but Radinka had bought it for his office, declaring the room needed more warmth. He grabbed the soft afghan and stretched it out over Shanna.
“Thank you.” She pulled the fringed end up to her chin. “I don’t know what came over me, but I just had the worst chill.”
“You’ll warm up soon.” He smoothed back her hair and wished he had time to smooth away all her fears. But Connor was pacing back and forth in front of the wet bar, and Gregori was leaning against a wall, glaring at him. “Gregori, would you make sure Dr. Whelan is comfortable? She might want something from the kitchen. Maybe some hot tea.”
“Okay.” Gregori sauntered toward her. “Hey, sweetcakes. What’s up?”
Sweetcakes! With a grimace, Roman walked across the room to confer with Connor.
The Highlander turned his back to Shanna and spoke very softly. Only a vampire with acute hearing would make out his words. “Laszlo claimed the lass was different. I dinna believe it, but now I do. I havena ever come across a mortal with that much mental fortitude.”
“I agree.” Roman glanced back at Shanna. Gregori was apparently pouring on the charm because she looked amused.
“Laszlo also told me that if yer tooth isna fixed tonight, it never will be.”
“I know.”
“We doona have time to be finding another dentist.” Connor motioned to the antique clock on the mantelpiece. “Laszlo will be calling in eighteen minutes.”
“I realize that.”
“Then why did ye stop us? We were verra close.”
“Her mind was about to crack. I was worried that once we broke through, that much psychic power would destroy her mind.”
“Ah.” Connor rubbed his chin with a forefinger. “And if her brain is damaged, she willna be able to fix yer tooth. I see.”
Roman frowned. He hadn’t even thought about his damned tooth. His
Her purse fell to the floor. She moaned and pressed the heels of her palms against her temples.
Roman hovered over her mentally to see if she was all right. She was. She had erected a shield with more speed and energy than he thought humanly possible. Amazing.
Gregori reinforced his attack, blanketing her with icy determination. Your thoughts will be mine!
And mine. Connor’s mind chiseled at her defenses.
No! Roman shot his friends a warning look. They recoiled, staring at him, stunned. They had expected resistance from Shanna, not him. But the truth was, he wanted her thoughts to himself. And he wanted her safe. That much psychic force might be needed to crack her defenses, but once her shield crumbled, all that power could rip through her mind, leaving it in shreds.
He strode toward her and pulled her against his chest. “Are you all right?”
She leaned against him. “I don’t feel good. My head… I’m so cold.”
“You’ll be okay.” He wrapped his arms around her, wishing his old carcass could produce more body heat. “You’ll be safe with me.” He covered the back of her head with his hand as if to protect her mind from further assault.
His two friends exchanged worried looks.
Connor cleared his throat. “Could I have a word with you?”
“In a moment.” They expected an explanation, but damned if Roman knew what to say. How could he explain all these strange feelings that were consuming him tonight? Lust, desire, fear, amusement, guilt, remorse. It was as if meeting Shanna had woken his heart from a deep sleep. He hadn’t realized how dead he was before meeting her. And how alive he felt now.
A shudder jolted through her body. “Come and rest.” He guided her toward the velvet chaise where he had fed on VANNA earlier that night.
She curled up on the chaise, wrapping her arms around herself. “I’m so cold.”
He considered dragging in the suede comforter from his king-sized bed in the adjoining room, then he spotted a burgundy chenille blanket draped over one of the wing-back chairs. He never used it, but Radinka had bought it for his office, declaring the room needed more warmth. He grabbed the soft afghan and stretched it out over Shanna.
“Thank you.” She pulled the fringed end up to her chin. “I don’t know what came over me, but I just had the worst chill.”
“You’ll warm up soon.” He smoothed back her hair and wished he had time to smooth away all her fears. But Connor was pacing back and forth in front of the wet bar, and Gregori was leaning against a wall, glaring at him. “Gregori, would you make sure Dr. Whelan is comfortable? She might want something from the kitchen. Maybe some hot tea.”
“Okay.” Gregori sauntered toward her. “Hey, sweetcakes. What’s up?”
Sweetcakes! With a grimace, Roman walked across the room to confer with Connor.
The Highlander turned his back to Shanna and spoke very softly. Only a vampire with acute hearing would make out his words. “Laszlo claimed the lass was different. I dinna believe it, but now I do. I havena ever come across a mortal with that much mental fortitude.”
“I agree.” Roman glanced back at Shanna. Gregori was apparently pouring on the charm because she looked amused.
“Laszlo also told me that if yer tooth isna fixed tonight, it never will be.”
“I know.”
“We doona have time to be finding another dentist.” Connor motioned to the antique clock on the mantelpiece. “Laszlo will be calling in eighteen minutes.”
“I realize that.”
“Then why did ye stop us? We were verra close.”
“Her mind was about to crack. I was worried that once we broke through, that much psychic power would destroy her mind.”
“Ah.” Connor rubbed his chin with a forefinger. “And if her brain is damaged, she willna be able to fix yer tooth. I see.”
Roman frowned. He hadn’t even thought about his damned tooth. His
Similar Books
