The Curse (Belador #3)(40)

He closed the distance between them, never moving his flint-hard gaze from hers. His chest rose and fell sharply in time with the slow blink of his eyes. Muscles along his jaw tensed and flexed until he released a hiss of air and sighed. “I can’t rest. Not when I’m worried about you.”

She caught herself before she sighed, but her lips slipped into a smile. How was it when she thought she’d never let a man touch her skin, much less her heart, that Storm had found the route? A twisted and rutted path, and one that required the steel will of a man like Storm to navigate. She was touched by his concern but didn’t want to encourage him to stay on his feet when he didn’t appear fully recovered.

She said, “We both know I can take care of myself.”

“From what I’m hearing, these Svarts are not to be underestimated. The one I tracked left the cemetery, then went to where I met you by your bike, then I caught a similar scent not far from here, in the area of your apartment. I picked up yet another Svart scent that led me here, then it vanished. I think these trolls might be looking for you.”

“Me? Why?”

“I don’t know. I just have a feeling I’m right.”

She had yet to learn everything about Storm, and with his unusual heritage she respected his gift, but a Svart looking for her? “I can’t come up with one reason why a Svart would be searching for me. Probably just a matter of them covering a lot of ground in the city that crossed with my movements.”

“I knew you’d come up with some excuse instead of realizing you shouldn’t be running around alone right now.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“You don’t have to fight every battle by yourself.” He touched her hair, lightly running a finger down the side until his hand stopped on her shoulder.

She wished he’d pull her to him and kiss her again.

He asked, “Where have you been?”

“I can’t tell you.”

His hand slid off her shoulder to hang at his side. “Now who’s keeping secrets?”

“It’s not like that. I had something to do for the Beladors.”

His face closed down, guarded again. “You take backup?”

“Not for this.”

“It’s not safe for you.”

“Since when has it ever been safe in our world?” she asked with a grim smile. “I fight demons and trolls and whatever else shows up to threaten humans. That’s my job.”

“Svart trolls are more deadly than demons and local trolls. Plus there’s been another gang battle since I saw you.”

“How did you know about—” Evalle’s heart frosted over at the realization that only one other VIPER agent would have told Storm anything. She kept her voice free of a jealous tinge, but just saying the witch’s name caused her to grind her back teeth. “Did Adrianna tell you?”

Storm shook his head slowly. “I’ve gone home. She doesn’t know where I live.”

So where had Adrianna and Storm been when she was taking care of him if not at his apartment, house, hut … whatever? Evalle shielded her momentary relief at that small confession, until she realized she didn’t know where he lived either.

But Storm had said he’d put that in the e-mail draft for her so she could come to dinner. Had he done that yet? Evalle pushed her tired mind back to business. “So where’d you get that information on the gang battles?”

“From your Nightstalker buddy.”

“Grady?”

“Yes.”

“I’m not surprised he knows about the Svarts.” Evalle yawned. “I need to get going. Sunrise is coming.”

“You’ve got eighteen minutes to make a mile on your street jet.”

She gave him a wan smile. “That gives me sixteen more minutes of sleep if I leave right now.”

“I can think of a better use for those sixteen minutes.”

“Oh? How would you use them?” She smiled, enjoying a warm glow from his flirting.

“Proving how wrong you are about Adrianna.”

Adrianna? Evalle lost the warm glow. She didn’t want to listen while Storm painted the witch as someone only concerned with his health. Men would never see Adrianna the way women saw her.

Just when Evalle thought she’d put this unexpected jealousy to bed, the green-eyed devil reared its ugly head. “No.”





TWELVE




Evalle pinned Storm with a look that should warn him his health could soon be in jeopardy again and said, “I’m not wasting my time or breath discussing Adrianna.”

Storm put a hand on her arm and leaned down, nose to nose with her. “You are the most thickheaded female I’ve ever met.”

“Not winning any points right now, Storm.” She pulled on her arm, not enough to break his hold. Just to make a point. “Let go of me if you don’t want to land on your butt on the other side of the street.”

“Sixty seconds.”

“For what?”

“To prove—”

She huffed. “I got it. Adrianna did you a favor. Nothing to discuss.”

“You may be trying to believe that but you don’t. I can’t stand knowing every time you see Adrianna you’re going to be hurt all over again.”