red-blooded, very powerful male Draicon in his sexual prime longing to mate. He represented everything dangerous to Sienna’s life.
Matt rubbed the back of his neck. Never had he lost sexual control like this. It was the pretty Fae with the red, wet mouth and the beguiling sensuality simmering just below the surface.
Getting close to Miss Sienna McClare threatened more than loss of his common sense. He was dipping dangerously close to a precipice.
He was starting to care for her. And he could not afford to care for any woman, let anyone into his heart.
Especially not a Fae who denied her Draicon half, and wanted nothing to do with his world.
* * *
Dinner was strained, neither of them saying much. Though the beef burrito was excellent and the rice seasoned just right, she ate little. Sienna seemed shaken by the intimacy of what happened. Hell, he was shaken, as well. He’d never felt anything so right, so perfect. Sex for him was a necessity, fulfilling his body’s urgent needs.
Not this head-spinning sensation of craving and wanting her so badly he felt like he’d die without having her.
Now as they walked to Tim’s shop, he regretted her insistence on accompanying him. His instincts screamed danger. Even though Sienna had tossed up a glamour of an elderly couple enjoying a twilight stroll and window-shopping, it wasn’t enough. The need to keep her safe overwhelmed him. And with every step that brought them closer to the store, his senses screamed to send her back to the hotel.
Streetlamps glowed with a soft golden light. Matt tensed as they drew near. The street was empty. Something foul and thick clogged the air, making him want to gag.
Sienna held a hand to her nose. “Sweet mercy, what is that?”
“I don’t know.” He gently pushed her behind him, every nerve alert. “Stay behind me.”
The door to the shop was closed, the shade still drawn, now on both the door and the display window, the lights out. The stench grew stronger. Adrenaline pumped through his body. He turned and looked at Sienna.
“I’m going in. No matter what happens, stay here. If you feel threatened or see anything wrong, call 911.”
“This isn’t a police matter.”
“Do it,” he ordered.
“Wait. You’re not going in as wolf? Isn’t that safer?”
He didn’t answer. Matt drew out his weapon. He touched the door’s bottom with the toe of his boot.
It creaked open. Awareness shot through him with knifelike precision.
“Be careful,” she whispered.
He nodded and pushed the door open wide.
Glass crunched beneath his boot heels. Through a pall of smoke, he saw smashed display cases, their contents emptied onto the floor. Exquisite, expensive jewelry lay in a pile, ripped apart as if by strong hands. The walls were slightly blackened, soot covering them. His wolf shrank back with the odor of acrid smoke, something dark and foul….
Burned flesh.
Matt sidestepped, checked the corner, cupping his pistol. The stench was stronger in back. Through a fog of smoke, he saw something on the floor. A large shape, clawlike fingers curled up, back arched to the sky.
Tim. What was left of him.
He coughed and resisted the urge to retch.
Then the smoke cleared a little and he saw the words scrawled on the floor by the body.
Feau teinl.
Senses screaming with awareness, he quickly searched the store. Not wanting to leave Sienna alone, he exited the shop.
In the dimming light, her eyes were huge.
“Tim?” Her face was pale as moonlight. Matt steeled himself, holstered his pistol and placed his fingers on her trembling, slight shoulders.
“He’s dead.”
Matt scanned the street. Whoever did it could still linger, watching the store to glimpse new arrivals. Demons couldn’t read Old Sidhe, but they wouldn’t desert the shop. They were nearby, watching…
Waiting.
A shadowy figure hovered in the doorway of a store across the narrow street. Matt’s nostrils flared. He pushed Sienna behind him. “Get back to the
Matt rubbed the back of his neck. Never had he lost sexual control like this. It was the pretty Fae with the red, wet mouth and the beguiling sensuality simmering just below the surface.
Getting close to Miss Sienna McClare threatened more than loss of his common sense. He was dipping dangerously close to a precipice.
He was starting to care for her. And he could not afford to care for any woman, let anyone into his heart.
Especially not a Fae who denied her Draicon half, and wanted nothing to do with his world.
* * *
Dinner was strained, neither of them saying much. Though the beef burrito was excellent and the rice seasoned just right, she ate little. Sienna seemed shaken by the intimacy of what happened. Hell, he was shaken, as well. He’d never felt anything so right, so perfect. Sex for him was a necessity, fulfilling his body’s urgent needs.
Not this head-spinning sensation of craving and wanting her so badly he felt like he’d die without having her.
Now as they walked to Tim’s shop, he regretted her insistence on accompanying him. His instincts screamed danger. Even though Sienna had tossed up a glamour of an elderly couple enjoying a twilight stroll and window-shopping, it wasn’t enough. The need to keep her safe overwhelmed him. And with every step that brought them closer to the store, his senses screamed to send her back to the hotel.
Streetlamps glowed with a soft golden light. Matt tensed as they drew near. The street was empty. Something foul and thick clogged the air, making him want to gag.
Sienna held a hand to her nose. “Sweet mercy, what is that?”
“I don’t know.” He gently pushed her behind him, every nerve alert. “Stay behind me.”
The door to the shop was closed, the shade still drawn, now on both the door and the display window, the lights out. The stench grew stronger. Adrenaline pumped through his body. He turned and looked at Sienna.
“I’m going in. No matter what happens, stay here. If you feel threatened or see anything wrong, call 911.”
“This isn’t a police matter.”
“Do it,” he ordered.
“Wait. You’re not going in as wolf? Isn’t that safer?”
He didn’t answer. Matt drew out his weapon. He touched the door’s bottom with the toe of his boot.
It creaked open. Awareness shot through him with knifelike precision.
“Be careful,” she whispered.
He nodded and pushed the door open wide.
Glass crunched beneath his boot heels. Through a pall of smoke, he saw smashed display cases, their contents emptied onto the floor. Exquisite, expensive jewelry lay in a pile, ripped apart as if by strong hands. The walls were slightly blackened, soot covering them. His wolf shrank back with the odor of acrid smoke, something dark and foul….
Burned flesh.
Matt sidestepped, checked the corner, cupping his pistol. The stench was stronger in back. Through a fog of smoke, he saw something on the floor. A large shape, clawlike fingers curled up, back arched to the sky.
Tim. What was left of him.
He coughed and resisted the urge to retch.
Then the smoke cleared a little and he saw the words scrawled on the floor by the body.
Feau teinl.
Senses screaming with awareness, he quickly searched the store. Not wanting to leave Sienna alone, he exited the shop.
In the dimming light, her eyes were huge.
“Tim?” Her face was pale as moonlight. Matt steeled himself, holstered his pistol and placed his fingers on her trembling, slight shoulders.
“He’s dead.”
Matt scanned the street. Whoever did it could still linger, watching the store to glimpse new arrivals. Demons couldn’t read Old Sidhe, but they wouldn’t desert the shop. They were nearby, watching…
Waiting.
A shadowy figure hovered in the doorway of a store across the narrow street. Matt’s nostrils flared. He pushed Sienna behind him. “Get back to the
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