Well, on second thought, not quite everything—especially the whole “not being human” thing. That brought her up short. When had she accepted what Sandor and Ranulf had told her as the truth?
Probably about the time she’d welcomed Ranulf into her bed. Bradan’s timing was another black mark against him. Another few seconds, and it would have taken a direct nuclear hit to distract them from finishing the horizontal dance they’d started. Ranulf had stopped so abruptly that she was surprised he hadn’t sprained something important.
And now, when she needed his warmth and support, he stood too far away. The distance separating them was an invisible wall that he’d erected the minute he’d pushed her out the back door into the waiting fireman’s hands. She huddled in the darkness and waited to see how long it would take for Ranulf to let her close again.
Every so often, he’d turn his eyes in her direction. Each time, she could feel the strength of his power simmering at the boiling point with the desire to kill his enemy. Her lover had disappeared, and a stone-cold warrior had taken his place. Temper pushed her fear aside. Ranulf had a mission to accomplish—fine. But he was the first man she’d allowed so close in a very long time, and the distance he’d put between them hurt.
Finally, he stalked toward her, saying, “The fire is out. We can go back inside.”
“I can. You’re going home.” She crossed her arms over her chest and waited for him to contradict her. It didn’t take long.
Ranulf silently glared at the firefighter who had stayed with her, causing the poor man to stumble back, then hurriedly rejoin his crew.
“Nice trick, but I’m not impressed,” she smirked. Although she was. Was mind control another one of his talents?
“You should be. Now—we’re going to go inside, you’re going to pack enough clothing to last a few days, and then we’re leaving—together.” He stared down at her, his eyes like shards of indigo ice.
“And if I don’t want to leave with you?” It was a childish question, especially when he was big enough to make her do anything he wanted her to. But despite his temper and size, she knew he wouldn’t hurt her.
“We don’t have time to play games, Kerry. My job is to keep you alive. Right now, that means taking you someplace safe until Bradan has been eliminated.”
His words hurt. “So I’m just a job? Was getting naked with me part of your benefit package?”
He glared down at her from his superior height. “Woman, your tongue’s so sharp, I’m surprised you don’t cut yourself!”
She glared right back up at him. “You weren’t complaining about how I used my tongue a little while ago.”
“Um, excuse me, ma’am.”
Oh, Lord, neither of them had noticed the firefighter’s return. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. “Yes?”
Ranulf immediately positioned himself between the fireman and Kerry. She rolled her eyes and shoved Ranulf to the side. Although he let her, the fireman kept his eyes focused somewhere over her left shoulder, looking uncomfortable.
“Is there something you needed?” she asked.
“Just to tell you we’re leaving now, and not to hesitate to call us or the police if you need to.” He glanced past her to where Ranulf stood. “That offer of a ride still stands.”
She smiled. “That’s all right; I’ll be fine. Thank everyone for me. I appreciate everything you did.”
“Yes, ma’am, I will.” He backed away, clearly relieved to escape without a major confrontation.
She headed for her back door with Ranulf right on her heels. She would have preferred to have the solid weight of a locked door between them, but maybe it was better to take their fight back inside. No use in entertaining the neighborhood.
“Start packing, Kerry. I don’t know how long you’ll have to be gone. We’ll spend tonight at a friend’s house and then play it by ear.” His expression unexpectedly softened. “I want you to know that I am sorry you got sucked into all of this.”
“I’ll bet you are.”
Then she retreated to the sanctuary of her bedroom, except she carried the memory of Ranulf in her bed with her. It was impossible to ignore the twisted jumble of her blankets and sheets or the empty foil package on the floor. Her traitorous body remembered the delicious weight of Ranulf’s body covering hers, his heat burning her up.
She resolutely turned her back on the bed and yanked her suitcase out of the closet. She stripped off her pretty dress and tossed it toward the hamper, then pulled on her oldest, most comfortable sweats.
It didn’t take long to fill the suitcase with jeans, T-shirts, and the necessary basics. Then she hesitated. It was too warm for her flannel nightgown, but it was her least sexy sleepwear. Her normal taste in clothing ran to casual and comfortable, but she had a secret weakness for sexy underwear and nighties.
She wasn’t planning on Ranulf seeing any of them—not after the way he’d acted since the smoke alarm had gone off. But if he did get a peek at her sleepwear, she wanted to remind him of exactly what he’d missed out on. She shoved the flannel back in the drawer and reached for the satin and lace.
After grabbing a few toiletries from the bathroom, she looked around the room to see if she’d forgotten anything. Her laptop ensured that she’d be able to work wherever they ended up, but that still left a lot of hours in the day. She grabbed the stack of books she’d left on the bedside table and tossed them in.
Ranulf appeared in the doorway. “Do you need help with anything?”
She picked up her suitcase. “Nope, I’ve got it. I need to pack up the computer and then I’m ready to roll.”
She dropped her flashdrive in her purse, then took one last walk through her apartment, as if on some level she was saying good-bye. She shook off the creepy feeling and turned out the lights. There was no reason to think she wouldn’t be back in a day or two.
Ranulf took her computer and suitcase to the back door. “Stay put while I take a quick look around outside,” he announced.
She let the fact that he was back to issuing orders slide this time. “Do you think he’s out there?”
“I’ll know more in a minute, but I suspect he’s gone. He’s had his fun for the night.”
“I’m glad someone did,” she muttered under her breath, although she suspected Ranulf heard her anyway.
Her pulse sped up as soon as he was out of sight, making her glad that he hadn’t listened when she’d told him to leave earlier. Bradan might be gone, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t come back, especially if he knew she was alone.
Minutes ticked by with excruciating slowness. How long had Ranulf been gone? She checked the clock on the stove, but that was pointless since she didn’t know when he’d left. Surely he should be back by now. What if he was injured? Or worse? She’d give him another thirty seconds and then go after him.
But what good would she do him unarmed if Bradan had managed to get the drop on him? She needed a weapon. The kitchen offered several possibilities. She wasn’t sure she’d have the nerve to use a butcher knife, but hitting someone over the head with a cast-iron skillet was a possibility.
She dug out the small one that had belonged to her grandmother, and she tested its weight. Perfect. Drawing a deep breath, she opened the door and stepped outside. She listened for any sound that seemed out of place, but other than the muted rumble of distant traffic, all was quiet.
Which way should she go? She hadn’t thought of asking Ranulf where he’d parked or even what kind of car he drove. Keeping the skillet raised and ready, she sidled along the shadows by the building, scanning for some sign of Ranulf. At the front of the building, she edged up to the corner and leaned out to scope out the front yard.
Nothing. She drew back, planning on trying the other direction when a hand clamped down on her shoulder and another covered her mouth, stifling her scream.
“Looking for me?” a familiar voice whispered near her ear.
Her knees collapsed as relief washed over her. He was safe. When he abruptly released her, she had to grab onto him to keep her balance. It was like leaning against a brick wall, an angry brick wall.
“I told you to wait inside,” he growled.
“I did, but you were gone so long, I got worried.” Ingrate—see if she ever came to his rescue again! She headed back to retrieve her luggage.
His big hand stopped her, catching her hand in a death grip. He tugged the skillet free of her grasp. “You were going to use this to rescue me?”
Her first impulse was to say “Duh,” but something in his voice made her hold back. He was staring at the skillet with an odd look on his face, his eyes glowing in the darkness.
“What’s the matter?”
“I’m just trying to remember the last time anyone thought I might need rescuing.” As if realizing how much he’d revealed about himself, he briskly handed back her makeshift weapon. “We need to go.”
She followed him up the steps, fighting the need to hug him, knowing he wouldn’t accept it.
“I’ll get my things.”
* * *
Stubborn little thing that she was, Kerry had insisted on lugging her own suitcase, only grudgingly allowing him to carry her computer case. He still hadn’t gotten over her decision to fight Bradan, armed only with an eight-inch cast-iron skillet.
He wanted to yell at her for taking such a foolish risk, then kiss her senseless for caring enough to try. But right now, Bradan might still be lurking nearby. He wasn’t among the trees where Ranulf had hidden before, but he’d definitely been there earlier. And of course, with the Packard parked there, Ranulf might as well have rented a billboard announcing his whereabouts.
Speaking of the car, though, he wondered what Kerry’s reaction would be to the old girl. When they reached the sidewalk out front, he said, “I’m parked across the street,” then waited to see which one she’d choose as the most likely candidate. She ignored the SUV and the white sedan. Her gaze lingered a bit longer on a slow-slung sports car before moving on to the Packard. Her face immediately lit up with a huge smile.
“She’s beautiful!” Kerry scampered across the empty street, straight for his prized possession. Setting her suitcase on the curb, she circled the car, trailing her fingers along the elegant long fenders and smiling at the hood ornament.
She grinned up at him. “They sure knew how to make cars back then. Is this how she originally looked?”
His chest swelled with pride. “Yep. Everything is original except for the tires, the stereo, and necessary maintenance and repairs.”
Kerry’s dark eyes looked at him in disbelief. “She’s not been restored?”
“No need. I’ve taken good care of her since the day she rolled off the lot in 1940.”
That comment slowed Kerry down. “Now I know you’re yanking my chain. If you were old enough to drive in 1940, you’d have to be in your eighties.”
“I told you earlier that I’d been around for centuries. I can’t help it if you didn’t believe me.”
She put her hands on her hips, her whole attitude pure, stubborn disbelief. “All right, big guy. Just how old are you?”
He gave her the truth. “I don’t know exactly, but a thousand years, give or take half a century.”
He half expected her to either laugh or run to the nearest neighbor for sanctuary. Instead, she looked back at the Packard and then back at him with a smile teasing at the corners of her mouth.
“Then I guess it’s good that I’ve always had a thing for older men.”
That did it. He laughed, loud and long, as he set her suitcase and computer in the trunk before opening the passenger door with a flourish. She slid into the leather seat and sighed with pleasure.
When he joined her inside, she looked up at him with a hopeful expression. “We don’t have to go straight to your friend’s house, do we? Can we go for a ride first?”
For the first time in what seemed like hours, her eyes were alight with happiness. He would have given her anything within his power to hold the ugly reality of Bradan at bay. “We can take the long way.”
“With the top down?”
“Sure. It’ll be chilly, but I’m up for it if you are.” He reached around for a blanket and tossed it to her.
By the time they hit the highway, Kerry had the stereo cranked up and was singing at the top of her lungs. Ranulf headed for the mountains to the east, determined to keep Kerry to himself for as long as possible. As long as they kept moving, she was safe, and that was all that mattered.
* * *
Sandor looked up from his laptop. “Judging by these two entries, Bradan’s staying close by. Or maybe that’s just what he wants us to think.”
“Well done, Sandor. This is the first real lead we’ve had on him.” Dame Judith moved closer to read over his shoulder. “How old are those withdrawals?”
Sandor pointed at a column on the screen. “Three days ago for the first one. The second was from yesterday.” He turned to face her. “Just as we guessed, he’s paying cash rather than risking us tracking him down by his charge cards.”
“No one ever accused Bradan of being stupid.”
Sandor’s expression turned harsh, reminding her that the two men had been close friends. This had to be tearing him up inside. She gently touched his shoulder, sending him a small burst of energy meant to soothe, but he shrugged off her hand. Well, she couldn’t force him to accept comfort.
“Speaking of walking on the dark side, has Ranulf reported in?”
She drew a sharp breath at the barbed question. “No, he hasn’t, and you will refrain from such remarks in the future.”
Sandor’s dark eyes narrowed, his frustration plain to see. But after a few seconds, he nodded. “I apologize, Judith. I know I’m being a bastard, but this whole situation has me worried. Nothing is as it should be.”
“How so?” Although she could guess, she’d listen if it would help Sandor to talk it out. She returned to her chair and settled in, making it clear that she was in no hurry.
Sandor moved away to stand by the window and stare out into the night.
“I feel disconnected from everything. My honor demands that we track down and destroy a man I thought I knew as well as I know myself, but it will be like killing a brother. Only a few days ago, I would have fought anyone who had questioned Bradan’s honor. He was a Talion and one of the best.”
He was silent for a few seconds. “And then there’s Kerry Logan. I failed miserably when it came to explaining to her what it means to be Kyth. I’ve dealt with tough resistance in the past, but she beats them all, hands down.”
He looked back at Judith with a half smile. “She’s much stronger than you’d think at first glance. There’s no moving her once she digs in her heels.”
“What? A pretty woman didn’t fall for Sandor Kearn’s legendary charm?” Judith held the back of her hand to her forehead, pretending to swoon. “Has the world come to an end?”
He accepted her teasing with good humor. “Very funny, Judith. But if Kerry refuses to believe the truth, it will be that much harder to keep her safe.”
“How does she react to Ranulf?”
Sandor’s smile faded. “I tried to warn her about his true nature, but she wouldn’t listen.”
“Sandor…”
Sandor staved off her defense of Ranulf. “I know what you think of him, Judith. I know what he’s done for our people, and I honor that. But there’s a reason he hides up there on the mountain: he’s not stable, and he knows it—even if you won’t admit it. So far, we’ve been lucky that he’s been able to absorb all that dark energy from his targets without going renegade himself. But one of these days he’s going to cross that line—and when that happens, who will die because we failed to stop him in time? Me? Kerry Logan? You?” He walked out of the room.
Each word felt like a physical blow to Judith. Yes, she had faith in Ranulf, but she’d also trusted Bradan. Had her judgment become that faulty? If so, she was a danger to their people, too. Would one more execution be more than Ranulf could handle? Could he still walk away intact?
Gods above, she grew so weary of the burden of ruling their people. If Kerry Logan was as strong as Sandor said she was, she might be the first real hope for the Kyth in a very long time. The ability to rule rested not in the royal blood that ran in Judith’s veins but in the genetically rare ability to manipulate energy to heal and control other Kyths.
If the reports of the dance club fire were true, Kerry Logan probably had that ability, even if she wielded it subconsciously and with no training. A simple touch, a brief invasion of Kerry’s thoughts, and Judith could confirm what she very strongly suspected.
How many times over the centuries had she seen a hero appear at the very moment he was most needed? Perhaps it was the gods’ way of protecting the lesser beings they cared for. If they had chosen this moment to send Kerry to the Kyth, Judith would gladly teach the younger woman the history of their people, share her wisdom and advice, and pray that when it came time to step aside, Kerry would be ready.
She reached for the telephone. It was time to meet Kerry face-to-face.
* * *
“Shut up, bitch, and quit whining. I know the ropes hurt, but they’re supposed to, aren’t they?”
The woman stirred again, her eyes glazed and confused as she tried to figure out how she’d come to be naked and tied to Bradan’s bed. She tried to speak, but the words were muffled by the duct tape over her mouth.
Bradan set out his scalpels in a neat row alongside a box of surgical gloves. After pouring himself a glass of wine, he studied his test subject. She wasn’t Kyth, of course, but with her athletic build, he’d had high hopes for her ability to withstand his games. But she should have shaken off the drug he’d slipped into her dinner by now. So far, this woman he’d dragged into his lair was a disappointment.
He’d planned on inviting Kerry Logan to this particular party, but she’d chosen to defile herself with that damned Viking. The fire he’d set outside her apartment might have been a mistake, though. Up until that point, the Talion warrior had only suspected that Kerry would be the next target. Now he knew it for certain and had driven Bradan’s mate off into the night.
But it was only a matter of time before she returned to her apartment, or perhaps to Dame Judith’s ostentatious home—one reason Bradan hadn’t yet made a move against the Dame herself. He studied the pieces of paper taped to the wall, each with a name at the top: Kerry Logan, Ranulf Thorsen, Dame Judith, Sandor Kearn.
With a smile, he lifted his glass in a toast to the neatly printed lists. “To each in their own time.”
The woman tied to his bed struggled to break free of her bonds. Did she really think he wouldn’t notice? But he did admire the sleek lines of her muscles and the delicious scent of pain mixed with sweat and blood. His body stirred in response.
He sat down on the side of the bed and studied her perfect breasts and the sweet curve of her waist as it flared out to her hips. Ah, yes, she knew what was coming. She flinched when he laid his hand on her ankle and slowly, so slowly, stroked the length of her leg, just to flirt with the blond curls at the top. He let his fingers hover there briefly before starting a slow downward journey back to her ankle. Oh, yes, this was going to be fun.
Panic had her straining against all four bedposts at once, but all she was doing was wearing herself out and stoking his fire. At least her fear had burned away the last haze of the drugs. Perfect. He pointed the remote at the stereo across the room, and soft music filled the air.
Then he reached for the first button on his shirt and smiled. “Shall we begin, my dear?”
* * *
Ranulf’s cell phone vibrated for the third time in thirty minutes. As much as he wanted to ignore it, he knew he couldn’t. Whether it was Sandor or Judith, he needed to report in.
He flipped the phone open and saw Sandor’s number. Keeping his voice low, he said, “I’m on my way in,” before hitting the disconnect button to avoid any questions. After accelerating around a slower car, he looked at Kerry, who was curled up asleep under the blanket.
He could taste her scent on the night air, teasing his senses with memories of how sweet it had been to hold her in his arms, skin to skin, hearts racing as their bodies had strained to be one.
He hated to be grateful to Bradan for anything, but the firebug had kept Ranulf from making one of the worst mistakes in his life. He’d learned to live alone, safe within the wards he set to guard his home and content with his own company. Even now, he was fighting a powerful compulsion to turn around at the next exit and drive straight back up the Cascade Mountains where he belonged.
Once he had Kerry there, he could coax her into his bed and spend the next few days burning up this craving he had for her. Or weeks, if that’s what it took. He jerked his eye back to the highway again. Over the centuries, he’d watched too many people he’d cared about age and die, and he didn’t want to leave himself open to that kind of pain again.
The average Kyth lived only slightly longer than their human neighbors. Only those with the strength to manipulate energy, like the Talions and the Dame, were gifted—or burdened—with longevity. The dark energy he’d consumed over the centuries had kept his exterior youthful, but it did nothing to alleviate the weight of all those years. It was his hope that once he retired from serving his people, he would begin to age, living out his life as normally as possible.
Now even Judith was fading away, because she’d started dying the minute Rolf’s heart had stopped beating. Once she was gone no one else would have a claim on his soul, and he’d be free of the burden of his office as Talion. Kerry stirred slightly, drawing his attention back to her. No one, he repeated more firmly to himself; even he recognized the lie. This waif of a woman had already burrowed under the wall he’d built around his heart and taken up residence there.
As if feeling his attention, she stretched and yawned before sitting up with a sleepy smile. “Have I been asleep for long?”
“A couple of hours,” he answered a bit gruffly.
She adjusted the blanket and looked out the window. “Where are we?”
“Coming down off Snoqualmie Pass. We’ll be back in town soon. Are you hungry? We never had a chance to eat that dinner.”
“I’d love breakfast, but anything will do.”
“There should be something in the next town.”
He let the silence settle between them, but he figured it wouldn’t last long. He was right.
Kerry finger-combed her hair, only to have the wind muss it up again. “So who’s the friend you’re taking me to? Sandor?”
“He’ll be there.”
“But he’s not your biggest fan, and you said we’d stay with a friend. The only other name you two have mentioned is Judith.”
Ranulf considered how to describe the Dame. “Did Sandor mention that the Kyth are a matriarchal society?”
“No, but I didn’t give him much of a chance to explain anything.” Kerry’s smile made her look like a cat who’d swallowed a canary. “As I said before, I didn’t particularly like what he had to say.”
“And why was that?”
She shot him a narrow-eyed look. “Stop avoiding the subject and tell me what’s going on. Start at the beginning and pretend Sandor and I have never met.”
Kerry settled back in the seat and pulled the blanket higher as she waited for Ranulf to gather his thoughts. What was he thinking that had his mouth set in such a grim line? She slipped a hand free and gently laid it on his arm. A zing of warmth immediately shot up her arm; Ranulf’s eyes gave her hand a quick look before turning back to the road again. He’d definitely felt it, too.
“Why don’t you go first? I know you’re a graphics designer, but you haven’t mentioned any family or friends.”
She frowned and looked away. “I have this sneaking suspicion that our good buddy Sandor has already ferreted out every bit of information that he could on me. Are you telling me that he didn’t share?”
“He shared, but that’s all facts and figures, not the truth of who you are. I want to hear that from you.”
For some reason, that pleased her enough to make her want to answer. “I don’t know much about my family background. My birth parents gave me up for adoption, and the records were lost in a fire. My adoptive parents did their best by me, but raising me was no picnic. Sandor was right about me not fitting in at school, even though I got high enough grades to get into a good art school.”
She stared out at the Douglass firs that lined the highway. “Losing myself in my art brought me some peace. I’ve always been happier in one extreme or the other—either working by myself or lost in a crowd. Not much in between. I occasionally hang out with some friends, but mostly I work out of my apartment. I buy a pair of season tickets for several of the local sports teams, but always go by myself.” She dragged her gaze back around to the silent man next to her. “Pretty pathetic, don’t you think?”
Blue flames flared briefly in his eyes. “No, I think you’re a Kyth who had no one to teach you how to cope. From everything I’ve seen, you’ve done a damn fine job on your own. Besides, at least you have coworkers and neighbors. I live by myself up on a mountainside. If Judith doesn’t need me, I go months, even years, without talking to another person.”
Her heart hurt for the loneliness she heard in his voice, but she knew he wouldn’t appreciate any show of sympathy. “So we’re kindred spirits. Now it’s your turn. Start talking.”
He let out a long breath. “Once upon a time, there was a small community of people living in the far north end of Scandinavia. Somewhere along the line, they developed a genetically based talent that none of their neighbors had: the ability to share energy with those around them.” He looked at her again. “Let me know when I get to the part you haven’t heard before.”
“Keep going, big guy. I’m listening.” She scooted closer and rested her head against his arm, not sure if the comfort of touch was for him or for her. Most likely both.
“Fine. These people not only survived, they thrived in areas that other, more normal, humans couldn’t. On a good day, one successful hunter with the right genes could absorb enough energy to ‘feed’ his tribe, but that ability was far rarer than the ability to steal energy from other humans. That little talent worked like a charm, as long as there were enough humans around to feed off of.”
Though Ranulf’s story was even more outlandish than Sandor’s, she found it much easier to believe. Or maybe it was because it was Ranulf doing the explaining.
“Then the Kyth began to outnumber the normal homo sapiens, to the point that both groups were suffering. Since the Kyth were stronger, they took to the seas in search of new homes.” He smiled. “Ever wonder why the Vikings and their kin traveled so far afield? Well, now you know. It takes a certain number of humans to support each Kyth’s energy needs.”
“And they figured that out way back then?”
“Not in so many words, we didn’t. All I knew was that I felt better when I went out on raids with my chieftain than I did hanging around my village.”
“When you said earlier that you’d had centuries to perfect the ability to take care of renegades, you were serious, weren’t you?”
He jerked his head in a quick nod. “We returned from one of our raids to find that our village had been destroyed. After caring for the few survivors, we went after the attackers. That went badly, and I was captured. Before they had a chance to do permanent damage, Judith showed up with only Rolf, her Consort, at her side.”
Ranulf’s mouth quirked up in a smile. “I can still see her standing before all of us big hulking brutes. Judith is on the small side, like you, but no one could mistake her for anything but royalty.”
“So she’s a queen?”
“She’s actually called a Grand Dame, but the meaning is the same. There wasn’t one of us who dared defy her, especially when Rolf was backing her up with both his energy and his sword. She’s ruled all of our kind for longer than I’ve been alive.”
“And now I’m going to meet her?” She sat up to whack Ranulf on the arm. “You’re taking me to meet royalty, and I’m wearing my oldest sweats!” Did the man not have a lick of sense?
“So? Judith won’t care.”
“When’s the last time you saw her in sweats? Or even jeans, for that matter?”
His only answer was another of those laughs that made her smile. But that didn’t mean she was going to forgive him soon for not warning her about where they were headed.
“I’m sorry, Kerry. It’s been a long, long time since I last brought a woman to meet Judith, and even then it wasn’t someone I—” He stopped talking abruptly.
“You what?” she prompted.
“It’s nothing.” He immediately changed the subject. “If I remember right, there’s an all-night restaurant at this next exit.”
She knew he’d been about to say something important, and so did he. She’d wait until his guard was down and then pounce.
* * *
“Will there be anything else?”
The waitress set a plate heaped high with bacon, eggs, and fried potatoes in front of each of them. Kerry didn’t waste a second before digging in.
“I’d like another cup of coffee.” Ranulf picked up his fork and fought the urge to shovel the food in as fast as he could. His energy levels had dropped to a dangerous level. Protein would help, but it wouldn’t hold him for long.
When the waitress returned to top off his coffee, he considered taking a hit of her energy, but she could ill afford the loss. Skinny as a rail and with hair bleached to a brassy yellow color, she looked like the poster child for famine relief.
Kerry looked up from her plate and smiled at the woman. “That’s a pretty watch.” She reached over and touched the crystal on the cheap timepiece.
The waitress looked surprised but pleased by the comment. When she walked away, she had a little more zip in her step. Ranulf yanked his eyes back to his companion, not believing what he’d just seen. Kerry had used the brief encounter to feed the woman energy. He’d seen Judith do the same thing countless times, sharing energy with humans and Kyth alike, replenishing their supply with her own.
Kerry noticed he was staring at her. “What? Do I have jelly on my chin or something?”
Was this what Judith had been hiding from him and Sandor? That Kerry carried the prized gene for healing?
He needed to talk to Judith before saying anything to Kerry, especially if he was wrong. But if he was right, it was more imperative than ever to get Kerry someplace safe until Bradan was brought to justice.
“Are you about finished?”
She gave him one of those looks women use when men say something particularly stupid. “No, I’m not, and after we eat, I want to stop back by my apartment to pick up something more suitable to wear.”
“That’s not going to happen.” Rather than continue the argument, he concentrated on finishing his own food. Judging from the dark looks Kerry was giving him, he was going to need all the strength he could muster.
* * *
Bradan watched the body bounce down the side of the gully, landing with a soft thud at the bottom. He’d been wrong about the blonde. She’d proven to have an impressive amount of stamina and will to live, especially considering everything he’d put her through. With a sharp salute to honor her contribution to his cause, he walked away, feeling as if he’d been able to fly.
Right up until she’d breathed her last, the woman had fed him with the sweetest energy he’d ever encountered. His skin tingled and felt tight, as if he’d absorbed more than his body could contain. Gods above, what a rush! The sex-blood-and-death combo had everything else beat, hands down.
Would Kerry Logan live up to the high standards set by her unfortunate predecessor? He hoped so. He really did. Dame Judith had definite possibilities, too. Considering the Dame’s advanced age, he had no interest in having sex with her, but blood and death had definite possibilities. He’d have to be careful, though. If she was at full strength, she could immobilize him before he had time to strike. Maybe it would be better to kill her from a distance, although that seemed cowardly.
He needed to get back to the remote house he’d used as a base of operations. There were a few things he needed to retrieve before going after Kerry Logan. If traffic was with him, he’d be done in time to greet the dawn with his latest victim—a very good start to the day.
As he drove back toward town, though, he passed a young man standing on the shoulder of the road with his thumb out. Hadn’t he heard how dangerous hitchhiking was? Well, well. It was almost Bradan’s civic duty to remind him. Easing his car over to the shoulder, he waited. The gods were definitely smiling on him today.
* * *
Ranulf nosed the Packard into the private driveway and punched in the code that would swing the heavy wrought-iron gates out of his way.
As the house came into sight, Kerry’s dark eyes widened slightly, and she seemed to shrink back into her seat. Then just as quickly, her chin came up and she straightened her shoulders.
“Thanks again for the warning, Ranulf. I should have known that royalty went hand-in-hand with being rich. Does she wear a crown and carry a scepter?”
“She used to, but she gave it up when people started staring at the mall.” He barely managed to keep a straight face.
Kerry’s eyebrows shot straight up. “Why, Ranulf Thorsen, I do believe that was a joke! Gosh, you’ve laughed at least twice and told an actual joke.” She fanned herself with her hand. “I think I might be overcome from the shock. Imagine—a big, bad thousand-year-old Viking with a sense of humor.”
He liked making her laugh—which was not good. The sooner he put some distance between them, the sooner he could go about making the world a safer place for her.
As he pulled up in front of the house, the front door swung open and Sandor walked out. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest, his expression grim.
After Ranulf parked, Sandor opened the car door for Kerry. “Glad to see you’re alive and well.”
As she climbed out of the car, Ranulf popped the trunk to retrieve her luggage.
Sandor turned his bad mood in Ranulf’s direction. “We thought you’d be here hours ago. Kerry needs protection, not a midnight ride all over creation with you,” he snapped, glaring at him over Kerry’s head.
She stomped up the stairs and turned to face him down. “Listen here, Sandor Kearn! I do not need or appreciate your caveman tactics. I appreciate the fact that you’re worried because of Bradan, and that you take your orders to keep me safe seriously. But it was Ranulf who protected me when Bradan set fire to my building.”
Sandor’s face went ashen. “He what?” he stammered, looking to Ranulf for confirmation.
Kerry explained, “After Bradan set fire to the bushes outside my front door, Ranulf was going to bring me straight here, but I wanted to go for a ride. We missed dinner because of the fire, so we stopped at a restaurant to eat before coming here. Ranulf’s been a perfect gentleman. If you want to yell at somebody about us being late, yell at me.”
Ranulf soaked up the warmth of the smile Kerry shot in his direction. “Let’s get inside. I feel like we’ve got targets on our backs standing out here like this. Is Judith waiting for us?”
“Yeah, and Josiah is having a fit.”
Kerry looked like she was being led to her execution. “Is Josiah another member of the royal family?”
Judith stepped into the foyer. “No, he’s supposed to be my butler, but he believes his job description says ‘mother hen.’” She smiled and held out her hand. “I’m Judith, my dear. I am delighted to meet you in person at last.”
Ranulf noticed that Kerry surreptitiously wiped her hand on her sweatpants before taking Judith’s hand in hers. The two women held on to each other seconds longer than a normal handshake would take, but if Kerry noticed, she gave no indication of it.
Judith’s eyes widened as she nodded at Kerry. “So have you come to believe that you are indeed one of us?” She linked her arm through Kerry’s and led her into the living room, leaving the two Talions to follow.
Kerry frowned slightly as she considered her answer. “I’d have to say yes, although I’m not particularly happy about it.”
Judith gave her a wry smile. “There are many days that I feel that way myself. Why don’t you have a seat while I have Josiah fetch us some tea. Sandor, would you ask him, please? Once you’ve delivered the message, you can retire for the night.”
Sandor frowned at the dismissal and stalked past Ranulf, who had stopped just shy of entering the room, waiting for…what? For Kerry to pat the couch next to her, inviting him to remain close by her? He shifted Kerry’s bag to his other hand, drawing Judith’s attention.
“I’m sorry, Ranulf, did you need something?”
He fought to keep his eyes on Judith. “When do you want my report?”
Judith’s smile was a little too knowing. “I’m sure Miss Logan can fill me in on everything that happened.”
Now there was a thought that could make certain parts of his anatomy shrivel up. Judith could read a lot from a touch, but she’d always been closemouthed about what form that information took. If she was able to pick up glimpses of what had gone on at Kerry’s, he was in big trouble. Right now, he’d give anything to know how much she had sensed in that handshake.
He needed to get out of there, and fast. “Which bedroom do you want Kerry to use?”
“I’ll let you be the judge of the best place for her to sleep. Pick one on your wing of the house.”
He walked out, wondering about that odd glint in Judith’s eyes. The room next to his was empty, but so was the one next to Sandor’s—a much safer choice. Before he even realized what he was doing, he’d opened the door to the room that shared a bathroom with his. He couldn’t stand the thought of her toothbrush hanging next to the other Talion’s, much less the chance that Sandor would see that bit of lavender lace and satin Ranulf had seen Kerry tuck into her bag.
At her apartment, he’d been about to walk into her room to hurry her along when she’d held up the skimpy nightgown with a determined look on her face. He’d silently walked away, knowing that if he’d gotten any closer to her at that moment, they would have ended up right back in her bed.
And now she was going to be sleeping only a few feet away from him, wearing that skimpy gown. He stared at the king-sized bed, his mind filling with all manner of ideas on how fast the two of them could mess it up.
The talisman at his throat burned with the intense reaction of his body to the mental image of Kerry welcoming him into her bed. He hurried his steps to put some distance between them before his resolve to walk away disappeared. Rather than risk running into Sandor or Josiah out in the hallway, he cut through the bathroom. Once he reached the safety of his bedroom, he firmly closed the door and locked it, putting its solid weight between him and the possibilities he’d just turned his back on.
It was the smart thing to do. The moral thing to do. And it was the hardest thing he’d had to do in a very long time.