A Midsummer Night's Demon(7)

“Really?” He sounded so sincere. Lyn could read the honesty on his face. Her demonic instinct told her she could believe him, though she was not sure why. He hadn’t given her any reason to feel strongly one way or the other, but she believed him. Maybe she just needed to believe in the goodness of humanity after the attack. In that moment, she didn’t care to examine it too closely. She was safe and not alone—two things she desperately wanted right now.

“Yes, really. I’m trying to catch the guy who attacked you. What do you remember about last night?”

A puzzled look took her face. She paused before answering, replaying the previous night’s events in her mind. “I met a blind date at the bar for a drink.”

“Go on,” he encouraged, standing stone still next to the bed. Lyn saw an emotion pass over his face something akin to tempered anger. As quick as it appeared it was gone, replaced by an implacable mask.

“We had a drink, maybe two, then I started to feel funny. Told him I wanted to go home.”

Lyn tugged her lower lip between her teeth. She watched as Ky’s eyes trailed the movement. His muscles bunched under his flesh. He shifted his stance, the movement drawing her eyes to his thick, jean-clad thighs.

The demon looked—really looked—at the man beside her for the first time. She took her time in a slow perusal of his anatomy. Beginning with his handsome face, her eyes roamed down the column of his corded neck to take in the broad shoulders that led to his bare chest. His body flexed under her scrutiny when her eyes moved over the corrugated muscles of his stomach to his narrow waist. His jeans hung low on his hips, the dark material stretched over an impressive bulge. His pants hugged thighs which were thick as the trunks on the local palms.

Powerfully built, his calm demeanor belied an underlying strength. He was a hunter, a predator, and he looked at her as if she was his prey. And heaven help her, she wanted to be. She swallowed convulsively.

Something drew her to this man. His unabashed confidence? The intensity of his stare? He called to her baser instincts. Man to woman. Male to female. She knew the term animal magnetism, but had never experienced it until now. He was pure male animal power and everything female in her responded. Her tongue darted out to touch her upper lip. The muscles of his belly tightened in response to the subconscious sensuality of the gesture.

He crossed his arms over his chest, and she could not help but notice how his thick biceps bulged. A tribal tattoo wrapped around his left bicep and shoulder in an intricate pattern that made his presence all the more powerful.

“Lyn.” The raspy tone in his voice told her he was as affected as she by the heat between them. “Don’t look at me like that, honey.”

She could see the desire in his blue eyes, the ice there quickly going up in flames. He inhaled deeply, taking steadying breaths as if he struggled with his self-control.

“Lyn, tell me more about last night,” he commanded, his rough voice sounding harsh.

“Where was I?” she asked absently, her thoughts on his reaction. He’d chastised her for looking at him. Obviously she misunderstood the tone of his voice when he called her honey. He wasn’t interested in her, only her story—a cop looking for a statement. She drew her knees to her chest, and wrapped her arms around them in a bracing hug.

“You wanted to go home,” he prompted.

“Yes. I felt dizzy. I stood up to leave, the room spun, and I started to fall but he caught me. I knew it couldn’t be the alcohol because I didn’t drink that much wine, so I asked him why he drugged me. He said something sarcastic about it being easier than mind control.”

The muscle in Ky’s jaw ticked, the only outward sign that her story affected him.

“He pulled me from the bar, flung me over his shoulder, and took off down the sidewalk.” She gave him a weak smile. “The next thing I remember is looking up to see a handsome knight coming to my rescue.”

He reached down to cup the side of her face with the palm of his hand. It warmed and soothed her cheek.

“I know what happened from there.” His hand fell from her face, leaving her a little bereft from the loss of contact. “Tell me more about this guy. How do you know him?”

“I didn’t know him. Remember, I said he was a blind date. We met online.” Ky lifted one brow giving Lyn a derisive look. Fire leapt into her cheeks as her face flushed. “And before you say anything, I know it was stupid to meet him at a bar. I offered to meet him for lunch at a restaurant, but he talked me into drinks at the bar. He was very charismatic.”