CHAPTER 12

Amanda came awake with a start. It took a full minute to realize she had fallen asleep in Tabitha’s hospital room, lying against Nick. Her mother was asleep on the cot they had rolled in a short time ago, and she and Nick had taken the two uncomfortable chairs by the door.

Tabitha was still asleep on the bed where the doctors wanted to monitor her until morning. A Daimon had viciously cut a line down her sister’s cheek that would leave an ugly scar. Bruises and cuts lined her body, but the doctor had assured them that Tabitha would heal.

Their sisters had gone home at their mother’s urging, but Amanda had stayed just in case either of them needed anything. Her heart pounding, she looked up as her father returned to the room with two cups of coffee in his hands. He handed one to Nick. “You want mine, kitten?” he asked Amanda, holding his cup out to her.

Amanda smiled at her father’s kindness until she remembered her vision.

“You okay?” her father asked.

She looked at Nick, her heart pounding. “Kyrian’s in trouble.”

Nick laughed before taking a drink of coffee. “You were dreaming.”

“No, Nick. He’s in trouble. I saw him.”

“Just relax, Amanda, you’ve had a really bad day and you’re worried about Tabitha. It’s understandable, but Kyrian never gets in over his head. He’s fine. Trust me.”

“No,” she insisted, “listen to me. I’m the first to admit I hate my powers, but I know they’re not lying to me. I can feel his panic and pain. We have to find him.”

“You can’t go out there,” her father said. “What if this Desiderius is waiting for you? What if he sends someone to hurt you like he did Tabby?”

She met her father’s pale blue eyes and offered him a small smile. “Daddy, I have to go. I can’t let him die.”

Nick sighed. “Amanda, come on. He’s not going to die.”

She dug at his coat pocket. “Then give me the keys to your car and I’ll go myself.”

Nick playfully captured his keys from her hand. “Kyrian would have my head.”

“He can’t have your head if they kill him.”

She saw the indecision on his face. Nick set his coffee on the floor, then picked up his cell phone and dialed it.

“See,” she said. “He’s not answering.”

“That doesn’t mean anything this time of night. He could be in the middle of a fight.”

“Or he could be seriously hurt.”

Nick pulled his PDA out of its cradle on his belt and turned it on. After a few seconds, his face paled.

“What is it?”

“His tracer’s off.”

“Meaning?”

“I can’t track him. No Dark-Hunter turns their tracer off. It’s their lifeline if they get into trouble.” Nick shot to his feet and shrugged his coat on. “Okay, let’s go.”

Her father stepped between them and the door. He stood even in height to Nick and had his entire body braced for a fight. “You’re not taking my baby out there to get hurt. I’ll kill you first.”

Amanda stepped around Nick and kissed her father on his cheek. “It’s okay, Daddy. I know what I’m doing.”

By the light in his eyes, she knew he doubted her.

“Let her go, Tom,” her mother said from her cot. “There’s no danger to her tonight. Her aura is pure.”

“Are you sure?” he asked her mother.

She nodded.

Her father sighed, but still he looked doubtful. He glared at Nick. “Don’t you let her get hurt.”

“Believe me,” Nick said, “I won’t. I answer to a much scarier person than you for her welfare.”

Reluctantly her father let them leave.

Amanda rushed through the hospital, to the parking lot, then ran over to Nick’s Jag.

Once they were in Nick’s car, Amanda did her best to remember where she had seen Kyrian in her vision. “It was a small, dark courtyard.”

Nick snorted. “This is New Orleans, chère. That doesn’t tell me anything.”

“I know. I think it was in the Quarter. But I don’t know. Dammit, I just don’t know.” She scanned the dark streets as they passed them. “Is there a Dark-Hunter we could call who might be able to help find him? Maybe we should get Talon back?”

“No, Talon is hunting his own target.” He handed her his cell phone. “Push redial and keep trying to call Kyrian.”

She did, repeatedly, but there was still no answer.

As dawn approached, Amanda became desperate. If they didn’t find him soon, he’d be dead.

Terrified, she did what she had never dared before. She leaned her head back on the seat and purposefully reached down deep inside herself to touch the full strength of her untested powers. A terrifying surge went through her, making her warm and throbbing.

Images swam in her head, some old, some undefinable.

Just as she was sure her powers would tell her nothing, a clear image came to her. “St. Philip Street,” she whispered. “We’ll find him there.”

They parked on St. Philip and got out of the car.

Amanda didn’t know how, but she guided Nick down the alleys, straight to a dark courtyard. They rounded the buildings and saw nothing.

“Dammit, Amanda, he’s not here.”

She barely heard him. Following her instincts, she rounded a tall hedge, then stopped dead in her tracks.

Kyrian hung against a fence, his entire body slumped.

“Oh, my God,” she breathed as she ran to him.

Gently, she lifted his head and gasped as she saw his bloodied face. They had beaten him so severely that he could barely open his eyes.

“Amanda?” he whispered. “Is it really you, or am I dreaming?”

Tears filled her eyes. “Yes, Kyrian. It’s me.”

Nick cursed as he stopped beside her and reached to touch one of the nails in Kyrian’s arm. He drew his hand back sharply before it made contact and hurt Kyrian more. She saw the rage in Nick’s eyes as he cursed again. “My God, they nailed him to a board.”

Amanda wanted to throw up at the thought. She could tell by the wounds exactly what Desiderius had done. He had reenacted Kyrian’s execution.

“We’ve got to get you out of here,” she said.

Kyrian choked, then coughed up blood. “There’s not enough time.”

“He’s right,” Nick concurred. “It’ll be dawn in five, maybe ten minutes. We’ll never get him home before the sun rises.”

“Then call Tate.”

“He couldn’t get here in time.” A tic appeared in Nick’s jaw as he touched Kyrian’s hand where someone had embedded a nail into the center of it. “I’m not sure how we could get him loose even if Tate did make it in time.”

“It’s all right,” Kyrian said, his voice strained. He swallowed and met Nick’s tormented gaze. “Take Amanda to Talon and have him protect her and Tabitha.”

Nick took off running.

Ignoring Nick, Amanda focused on Kyrian. “I’m not going to let you die,” she insisted, her tone high-pitched and sharp. “Damn it, Kyrian, you can’t die like this and become a Shade. I won’t let you.”

The tender look in his eyes stole her breath. “I’m only sorry I failed you. I wish I could have been the hero you deserved.”

Amanda took his face in her hands and made him look at her. Her hands shook as she wiped the blood away from his lips and nose. “Don’t you dare give up. Do you hear me? If you die, who’s to say Desiderius won’t get Talon, too? Fight for me, Kyrian. Please!”

Kyrian grimaced. “It’s all right, Amanda. I’m just glad you found me. I didn’t want to die alone … again.”

Her heart lurched at the words as tears fell down her face. No! The scream reverberated through her soul.

She couldn’t let him die. Not like this. Not after he had protected and cared for her. Not after he had come to mean so much to her.

Over and over in her mind, she pictured her precious Dark-Hunter roaming the earth trapped between worlds. Forever hungry. Forever alone.

She couldn’t allow that to happen.

Nick returned with a crowbar in his hands.

“What are you doing?”

Nick gave her a hard stare. “I’m not going to let him die like this. I’m going to get him free.” He tried to pry the nail out of Kyrian’s hand.

Kyrian drew rigid from the pain.

“No!” Amanda shouted.

Nick went flying. “What the hell?”

Before she knew what she was doing, she felt her powers well up inside her. They surged forward like a waterfall, out of her control.

In that instant, the nails came free of Kyrian’s body and he fell into her arms. “Help me, Nick,” she breathed, trying to stay on her feet and hold him up.

Nick was aghast.

Shaking off his stupor, Nick picked Kyrian up in his arms. He staggered from the weight of him, but made his way to the car as fast as he could. “We still don’t have enough time to get him home before sunrise,” he panted out in broken syllables.

“We can take him to my sister’s. She only lives a block over.”

“Which sister?”

“Esmeralda. You met her earlier, the one with the long black hair.”

“The voodoo high priestess?”

“No, the midwife.”

Without another word, Nick drove them to Essie’s house in record time. It took some doing, but they managed to get Kyrian to the porch just as the sun started to rise over the roof opposite them.

Amanda pounded on the door to her sister’s narrow Victorian home. “Esmeralda? Hurry! Open the door.”

She saw her sister’s shadow through the Victorian lace curtain an instant before the doorknob turned. Amanda shoved the door open and Nick carried Kyrian into the foyer without a second to spare.

“Pull the shades down,” Nick ordered Esmeralda as he laid Kyrian on the dark green contemporary sofa.

“Excuse me?” Esmeralda asked. “What is this?”

“Just do it, Essie, I’ll explain in a minute.”

Reluctantly, Essie followed Nick’s orders.

Amanda touched Kyrian’s face. “They made a terrible mess of you.”

“How’s Tabitha?” Kyrian asked weakly. Amanda was touched by his concern for her sister when he was so hurt himself.

“I’m calling an ambulance,” Esmeralda said, picking up the phone from the end table.

Nick grabbed the phone from her hands. “No.”

The look on Esmeralda’s face would have quelled most men. Nick just glared back at her without flinching.

“It’s all right, Essie,” Amanda assured her. “We can’t take him to a hospital.”

“He’s going to die if you don’t.”

“No,” Nick said, “he won’t.”

Esmeralda cocked a disbelieving brow.

“He’s not human,” Amanda explained.

Esmeralda narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “What is he, then?”

“He’s a vampire.”

Rage suffused her face as she railed against them all. “You brought a vampire into my house? After what happened to Tabitha? My God, Amanda, where was your brain?”

“He’s not going to hurt you,” Amanda insisted.

“You’re damned straight. I’m going to call—”

Nick stepped between Esmeralda and the phone. “You call anyone and I’ll rip the phone out of the wall.”

“Boy,” Essie said in a warning tone, “don’t think for two seconds you—”

“Stop it!” Amanda shouted. “Kyrian needs your help, Esmeralda, and as your little sister, I’m begging you for it.”

“Do you—”

“Essie, please.”

She saw the indecision warring in Essie’s eyes and knew the thoughts in her mind. On the one hand Esmeralda didn’t want to help the evil undead; on the other, she couldn’t really say no to her sister.

“Please, Es, I’ve never before asked a favor of you.”

“Not true. You borrowed my favorite sweater in high school to wear to that game where Bobby Daniels was playing.”

“Es!”

“All right,” she relented, “but if he bites anyone in this house, I’m staking him.”

Kyrian lay still while Esmeralda and Amanda peeled his bloodied clothes from him. He hurt so badly he could barely breathe. Over and over, he saw the Daimons attacking him and he wanted blood.

“Let the sun have him.” Desiderius’s mocking voice rang in his ears.

That bastard would pay. Kyrian planned to make sure of it.

Amanda’s heart wrenched at the wounds on Kyrian’s body. His forearms and hands were covered with nail holes.

Never in her life had she hated anyone, but right then she hated Desiderius with so much passion that if he were here, she’d rip him apart with her bare hands.

She left Kyrian only long enough to call her parents and check on Tabitha.

While Essie bandaged Kyrian, Nick paced the floor.

“What do you want me to do about Desiderius?” Nick asked Kyrian.

“Stay away from him.”

“But look at you.”

“I’m immortal. I will survive this. You wouldn’t.”

“Yeah, well, had we taken another three minutes to get there, you wouldn’t have survived it, either.”

“Nick,” Amanda warned. “You’re not helping. He needs to rest.”

“I’m sorry,” he said, raking a nervous hand through his tousled dark brown hair. “I attack when I’m worried. It’s a defense mechanism.”

“It’s all right, Nick,” Kyrian said. “Go home and get some sleep.”

His jaw rigid, Nick nodded. He looked at Amanda. “Call me if you need anything.”

“I will.”

As soon as he was gone, Esmeralda finished tending Kyrian. “That really must hurt. What happened?”

“I was stupid.”

“Okay, Stupid,” Esmeralda said pointedly, “we’re going to have to set those legs and I don’t have a splint.”

“Can I borrow the phone?” Kyrian asked.

Frowning, Esmeralda handed it to him.

Amanda carefully bathed the blood from his face as he dialed. “How can you be so lucid?” she asked him. “This has to be excruciating for you.”

“I was tortured by the Romans for over a month, Amanda. Believe me, this is nothing.”

Still, it made her ache for him. How could he stand it?

She listened while he talked to whomever he’d called.

“Yeah, I know. I’ll see you shortly.”

Amanda took the phone from him.

Kyrian closed his eyes and rested while Esmeralda motioned her into the kitchen.

“Now I want an explanation. Why is there a wounded vampire on my couch?”

“He saved my life; I’m just returning the favor.”

Esmeralda glared at her. “Have you any idea what Tabitha would do if she ever found out?”

“I know, but I couldn’t let him die. He’s a good man, Es.”

Her cheeks paling, Esmeralda’s jaw dropped. “No, not that face.”

“What face?”

“That weepy, Brendan-Fraser-is-on-the-screen face.”

“Excuse me?” Amanda asked, offended.

“You’re infatuated with him.”

Amanda felt her face turn red.

“Mandy! Where’s your brain?”

She avoided her sister’s probing stare by looking back to the couch where Kyrian lay. “Look, Essie, I’m not stupid and I’m not a child. I know there can never be anything between us.”

“But?”

“What but?”

“You look like there should be a ‘but’ on the end of that sentence.”

“Well, there isn’t.” Amanda pushed her gently toward the stairs. “Now go on back to bed and get some sleep.”

“Yeah, right. Are you going to make sure Mr. Vampire doesn’t snack on one of us while I sleep?”

“He doesn’t suck blood.”

“How do you know?”

“He said so.”

Essie folded her arms over her chest and gave her a piqued stare. “Oh well, that makes it official, then, doesn’t it?”

“Would you stop?”

“C’mon, Mandy,” she said, gesturing toward the couch. “The man is a killer.”

“You don’t know him.”

“I don’t know any alligators, either, but I sure as hell wouldn’t leave one in my house. You can’t change the nature of a beast.”

“He’s not a beast.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Still she saw the skepticism in her sister’s eyes. “You damn well better be, little girl, or we’ll all pay a foul price.”

*   *   *

While Esmeralda dressed for work several hours later, Amanda made a small breakfast for Kyrian.

“I appreciate the thought, but I’m really not hungry,” he said gently.

She set the plate on the coffee table. Tenderly, she traced her hand down the bandage on his arm where blood had already seeped into it. “I wish you had listened to me and stayed home.”

“I can’t do that, Amanda. I have an oath and a duty to fulfill.”

The job. It was all that mattered to him and she wondered if he protected her because he cared, or if she were just part and parcel of what his duty entailed. “Still, you tell me you believe in my powers and then when I tell you—”

“Amanda, please. I had no choice.”

She nodded. “I hope you kill him.”

“I will.”

Amanda squeezed his hand. “You don’t sound quite as sure as you did before.”

“That’s because I spent the night nailed to a board and I don’t feel very well this morning.”

“You’re not funny.”

“I know,” he said. “It just bothers me that he really did know where to strike to do the most damage. Right down to—”

She waited several minutes, but he didn’t elaborate. “To?” she prompted.

“Nothing.”

“Kyrian, talk to me. I want to know how he got you into this condition.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

Before she could press him, someone knocked on the door.

“Please,” he said quietly, “go let D’Alerian in.”

“The Dream-Hunter?”

He nodded.

Curious, she got up and opened the front door, then stepped back. The man on the porch was nothing like she’d expected. Towering over her, the Dream-Hunter had hair as black as night and eyes so colorless and pale, they seemed to glow. Dressed all in black like a Dark-Hunter, the man before her would command attention if not for the strange tendency of her eyes to want to look away from him. It was weird. Really weird. She had to force herself to look at a man who should make any woman gape in lustful awe.

Without a word, he stepped past her and went to Kyrian. The door jerked itself out of her hands and slammed shut to keep the daylight out of the room.

D’Alerian had a sleek, graceful walk as he moved toward the couch where Kyrian lay. He shrugged his leather jacket off and pulled the sleeves of his black shirt back on his arms.

“Since when do you knock?” Kyrian asked.

“Since I didn’t want to scare the human.” D’Alerian swept a gaze over Kyrian’s body. “You’re a mess.”

“That’s what people keep telling me.”

There was no humor in D’Alerian’s face. Nothing. He was even more serene and calm than Talon. It was as if he had no emotions whatsoever.

D’Alerian held his hand out and one of the armchairs moved to rest beside the couch.

Without paying her any heed, he touched Kyrian on the shoulder. “Sleep, Dark-Hunter.” And before he finished the words, Kyrian fell soundly asleep.

Amanda watched as the Dream-Hunter kept his hand on Kyrian’s shoulder and closed his eyes. Only then did she see emotions cross D’Alerian’s face. He gasped and tensed as if he were the one being tortured. In fact, he showed all the pain she would have expected from Kyrian.

After a few minutes, D’Alerian pulled his hand away and leaned forward in the chair, his breathing labored. He covered his face with his hands as if trying to banish a nightmare.

When he looked up at her, the intensity of his stare made her jump.

“I’ve never, in all eternity, seen anything like that,” he whispered hoarsely.

“Like what?”

He let out a deep, ragged breath. “You want to know how Desiderius got to him?”

She nodded.

“His memories. I’ve never felt such agonized pain in anyone. When they come upon him, they weaken him. And so long as they do, he will always lose his battle calm.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

“Not unless you can think of some way to erase those memories. If they continue to plague him like this, he’s doomed.” D’Alerian looked at Kyrian. “He will sleep until tonight. Don’t disturb him. When he wakes, he’ll be able to walk, but he will still be weak. Try not to let him go after Desiderius for a few days. I will speak to Artemis and see what can be done.”

“Thank you.”

He nodded and was gone in a golden flash of light. Two seconds later, his jacket evaporated, too.

Taking his vacated seat, Amanda looked up at the ceiling and laughed nervously. All she’d ever wanted in her life was normality. Now she had a vampire lover and a Dream-Hunter, whatever that was, poofing in and out of her sister’s house while yet another vampire was trying to kill her.

Life was nothing if not ironic.

She turned her head to watch Kyrian. His breathing was easier than it had been before and the stern frown had faded from his features. The marks on his body were horrendous, but even they appeared to have faded out some.

Just what had Desiderius done to him?

*   *   *

Kyrian came awake to the moonlight streaming through the open windows. At first, he couldn’t remember where he was, until he tried to move and pain sliced through him.

Clenching his teeth, he sat up slowly and found Esmeralda standing with a huge cross in front of her and a garlic necklace around her neck.

“You stay right there, buster. And don’t try any of that mind-meld stuff.”

In spite of himself, Kyrian laughed. “You know, crosses don’t work on us and neither does garlic.”

“Yeah, right,” she said, inching closer to him. “Would you still say it if I touched you with it?”

When she came close enough, Kyrian grabbed the cross out of her hand. “Ow, ow, ow!” he feigned, then he held it to his chest. “Really,” he said seriously, handing it back to her. “It has no effect. As for the garlic, well, it’s garlic and it stinks, but if it doesn’t bother you, I can live with it.”

Esmeralda pulled the necklace off. “So what is your vulnerability?”

“Like I’m going to tell you.”

She cocked her head. “Mandy was right, you are infuriating.”

“You should have talked to my father before I ate him.”

Esmeralda paled and took two steps back.

“He’s teasing you, Es. He never ate his father.”

Kyrian turned to see Amanda standing in the doorway behind him. “Are you sure about that?”

She smiled. “Very much so, and you must be feeling better to taunt us.” Amanda came forward and checked the bandages on his arms. “Good Lord, they’re practically healed.”

He nodded as he reached for one of the shirts Nick had dropped off that afternoon while he slept, and put it on. “Thanks to D’Alerian. After another few hours, they’ll be gone completely.”

Amanda watched as he slid off the couch. Only the slowness of his movements betrayed the fact he was still recovering. “Should you be up?”

“I need to move, it’ll help with the stiffness.” As he walked past her, he mumbled under his breath, “Some of it anyway.”

She helped him into the kitchen. “Essie, is there any spaghetti left?”

“He eats spaghetti?”

Amanda looked up at him. “Do you?”

He cast a menacing glare at Esmeralda. “It’s not as good as sucking the necks of Italians, but it’s not bad.”

Amanda laughed at the horrified look on her sister’s face. “You better leave her alone or she might stake you while you sleep.”

He took a seat at the kitchen table and cast a hot, longing stare at her body. “Personally, I’d rather stake you while we’re awake.”

She smiled at his double entendre as she fixed a plate of spaghetti. “I’m so glad to have you teasing me again. I was terrified I’d lost you this morning when we found you.”

“How’s Tabitha?”

“She’s fine. They’re sending her home even as we speak.”

“Good.” By his expression she could tell he was deeply troubled.

“What is it?” she asked as she set the microwave timer.

“Desiderius is out there and he will kill again. I can’t just lie down and—”

Amanda stopped his words by placing her hand over his lips. “If you get yourself killed, what good would it do anyone?”

“It would help Nick since he would inherit all my property.”

“You’re not funny.”

“You say that to me a lot.”

She smiled tenuously. “Before you go after Desiderius again, we need to think this through. Right now, he believes you’re dead, so we have one shot at surprising him.”

“We?”

“I’m not going to let you fight him alone again. He threatens me and mine and I’m through sitting on the sidelines waiting for him to strike.”

Kyrian reached up and cupped her face. “I don’t want you hurt.”

“Then teach me what I need to know to help you kick his butt.”

He smiled at that. “I haven’t fought with anyone else in over two thousand years.”

“Well, you’re never too old to learn.”

He snorted. “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

“There’s no time like the present.”

“Time is of the essence.”

“God helps those who help themselves.”

He laughed. “You’re not going to let me win this, are you?”

“Nope. Now let me get you fed, then I’ll show you the research I did while you were sleeping.”

Kyrian watched as she dribbled cheese over his spaghetti. He’d never in his life come across a woman like her.

After Desiderius had left and he’d been waiting to die, he had spent the last moments with his eyes closed, remembering the way she looked in his bed. The way she felt in his arms.

It had given him more comfort than he had a right to ask for.

What if you fail again to kill Desiderius?

The idea horrified him. Amanda would be alone. He closed his eyes and thought of her lying in the hospital like Tabitha. Or worse.

No, Amanda was right, he needed to teach her to protect herself.

Desiderius was too dangerous. Too crafty. Worse, the bastard had delivered on his promise. He knew exactly where to hit.

“Kyrian?”

He looked up at Amanda.

She brought the plate of spaghetti and salad over to him and set it on the table, then placed her hand against his brow. “Don’t think about it.”

“Think about what?”

“Desiderius. You were thinking so hard, I swear I could hear your thoughts.”

Esmeralda stuck her head in the kitchen. “I’m headed out deliver Cara’s baby. Are you sure you’re all right alone with him?”

“I’m fine, Essie. Go, shoo, begone.”

“All right, but I’ll call later.”

Amanda growled at her sister and looked at Kyrian. “Have you ever tried to live with nine mothers?”

“No, I can’t say that I have.”

After he had finished eating and called Nick, Amanda took him upstairs to bathe.

Kyrian stood completely still as she unbuttoned his shirt and removed it, then she undid his pants. He hardened as her fingers brushed against him. “You know, I haven’t had an actual bath in decades. I always shower.”

“Well, this will be more fun—I promise.” Rising up on her toes, she kissed him lightly on the lips.

Kyrian followed her lead as she placed him in the tub. The hot water felt wonderful against his skin as she lathered a washcloth. He traced the line of her jaw with his fingers.

Amanda removed her clothes, then joined him in the tub.

Kyrian wrapped her in his arms, but as she moved against him, old memories assailed him.

All of a sudden, he was in his old home and he could feel Theone against him. See her cold face.

Amanda felt him stiffen. “Did I hurt you?”

“Let me up,” he said, pushing her away.

Something was wrong with him. Something bad. “Kyrian?”

He wouldn’t meet her eyes and suddenly she understood what D’Alerian had meant earlier.

Determined to rid Kyrian of his demons, she grabbed his face in her hands and forced him to look at her. “Kyrian, I am not Theone and I will never betray you.”

“Let me—”

“Look at me!” she insisted. “Look into my eyes.”

He did.

“I fed you, I didn’t drug you. I would never hurt you. Never.”

Kyrian frowned.

She moved higher up on his stomach, her body sliding against his. “Love me, Kyrian,” she said, placing his hand on her breast. “Let me erase those memories.”

He didn’t know if it were possible, but as he felt her bare, wet skin against his, her hot breath on his neck, he realized he didn’t want to push her away. He had been so long without a woman’s comfort. So long without a caring touch.

She slid herself against him, banishing his thoughts. “Trust me, Kyrian,” she whispered in his ear an instant before she swirled her tongue around the sensitive flesh of his earlobe.

Fire shot through him. “Amanda,” he breathed, her name a prayer for salvation on his bruised lips.

He had tried so hard to let go of his past, tried so hard to banish it, and yet it was always there just under the surface waiting to stab him when he least expected it.

But not now. Not with her in his arms.

Amanda saw the veil in his eyes fall. For the first time, she saw the soul of the man who had no soul. Better still, she saw the heat and the yearning. The need he had for her.

Smiling, she gently kissed his lips, careful not to hurt him any more.

To her surprise, he deepened the kiss and slid his arms around her. He buried his hand in her hair and held her so tight against him that it stole her breath. His tongue stroked hers with a hunger that fired her own.

Amanda reached down between them and took him into her hand, then led him slowly, inch by wonderful inch, into her.

She rode him slow and easy, careful of his injuries.

Kyrian leaned his head back and watched the satisfied look on her face as she stroked his body with hers. Reaching out, he cupped her chin in his hand. “You are so much more than I deserve.”

Amanda took his lips with hers and kissed him hard, tugging at his lips with her teeth. Goodness, but the man could kiss. Her tongue grazed his fangs as she quickened her strokes. His moan reverberated through her.

He cradled her head with his hands as he deepened his kiss. Overwhelmed by her emotions, she came fiercely in his arms. He kissed her even harder.

“That’s it, Amanda,” he whispered, taking her breast into his hand and gently squeezing it. “Come for both of us.”

Amanda opened her eyes and saw the raw hunger in the midnight depths. “This is so unfair to you.”

He smiled. “I truly don’t mind. Just being inside you is enough.”

Not believing it for a minute, Amanda helped him from the tub and toweled him off. She tucked him into the bed in the guest room, then carefully sealed the windows to make sure no daylight would leak through in the morning.

She watched as Kyrian slept, his ravaged body healing so fast she could almost see it.

If only she could heal his damaged heart as easily.

Damn his wife for her cruelty.

She heard a knock on the door downstairs.

With one last look at her guest, she crept to the hallway and went downstairs to open the door and found Nick standing on the porch with a small suitcase.

“I thought he’d need some more clothes and a few other things.”

Amanda smiled at his thoughtfulness and let him into the house. “Thanks. I’m sure Kyrian will appreciate it.”

Nick set the suitcase by the couch. “Where is he?”

“Upstairs, sleeping, I hope.”

“Listen,” Nick said sternly. “Talon’s dogging Tabitha on the way back to your mother’s to make sure she’s okay and I have a couple more Squires looking after Esmeralda and the rest of your family. Now that Desiderius thinks Kyrian is dead, there’s no telling what he might do, or which one of you he might go after. Tell everyone in your family to watch their backs.”

Kyrian listened to them as he lay in bed. He could hear the fear in Amanda’s voice. The anxiety. And he knew one way to dispel it.

If Desiderius knew he was still alive, he would wait to go after Amanda’s sisters. Kyrian was the prime target to the Daimon; they were merely bonuses.

Slowly, painfully, he rolled out of bed and dressed.