Warrior (Relentless #4)(193)

Silence fell over the yard that was littered with bodies.

A small sound brought my gaze around. Standing in the midst of the dead vampires was a masked figure dressed in black. I could see no weapon, though a burnt body lay at his feet.

“Who are you?” I asked, not really expecting an answer. He wouldn’t have hidden his face if he’d wanted me to know his identity. I had a suspicion I was looking at one of our mysterious vigilantes.

“A friend,” he replied in a voice that was oddly distorted.

“That doesn’t answer my question.” I waved at the carnage around us in the yard. “No human could do this. What are you and how did you find us?”

No one but our own people and Sara’s friends knew where we’d be tonight. Sara trusted David implicitly, and for his part, he could have betrayed her many times before now if he’d wanted to.

“That is because I am not human,” the stranger rasped without enmity. “As for how I found you, I have my ways.”

Not human? Warlock then. Who else could cloak themselves and mess with the memories of all the people they’d saved? I took a step toward him, intending to see what was under that mask.

“Nikolas,” called a member of the Vancouver team.

“What is it, Devon?”

“We found a tablet and some other things, but she’s not here. Looks like she got away.”

Before I could answer, a window shattered on the front of the house and a vampire screamed. Thinking of our injured men inside, I raced to the front of the house. When I got there, I found Chris finishing off what I hoped was the last of our attackers.

Chris straightened and pushed his damp hair out of his face. “I think that’s it.”

“I hope you’re right.” My eyes fell on a pile of vampire bodies in the driveway. “Your work?”

“I think we can thank our mysterious friend for that.”

“Shit.”

I sped to the backyard, but it was empty except for dead vampires. I’d been so close. I couldn’t believe I’d let him slip through my fingers.

Chris came to stand beside me. “I don’t know about you, but I’m going to need a stiff drink – or a bottle – after this one.”

“You and me both. But first, we have to clean up this.”

He groaned and turned to the house. “Going to be a long night.”





Chapter 37





Once the Seattle team had arrived to take over the cleanup operation in Vancouver, the rest of us took our injured back to the safe house to see to their wounds. There were a few deep lacerations, a couple of broken bones, and one concussion, but we’d all survived. After we’d treated our injuries and showered, the healthier warriors had wanted to drink and celebrate. I’d told them to have fun. I was going home.

It was almost dawn when I let myself into Eldeorin’s house. I walked up the stairs and stopped outside Sara’s door. I had no intention of going in. I only wanted to feel her nearby, to know she was close and safe before I tried to get some sleep and put this night behind me.

Tomorrow, she and I would talk, and I’d make her understand why I’d had to do what I did. Even if she refused to talk to me for a week, I wouldn’t go back and change a thing. If she’d been with us tonight…

A shudder went through me, and the need to see her became too strong to deny. Entering the room, I closed the door softly behind me and walked quietly to the bed.

My chest squeezed at the sight of her sleeping so peacefully and safe. All I wanted to do was crawl into bed with her, take her in my arms, and let her closeness soothe the aches in my body and heart.

I sat on the edge of the bed and caressed her face with a featherlight touch. I didn’t want to disturb her sleep; I just needed physical contact after being away from her for two days.

She stirred, her face turning toward my hand. “Nikolas,” she murmured drowsily.

“Shhh. Go back to sleep,” I whispered, feeling selfish for having woken her. I kissed her forehead. “I’ll see you in a few hours.”

“Mmm,” she said as I started to get up.

Her hands came up and cupped the back of my head, pulling me down to her. Surprise and desire jolted me as she claimed my lips with a hungry desperation that fed my own need for her.

In the next instant, I was lying beside her with my top half covering her as I deepened the kiss. My heart pounded and my brain lost all function as my body responded to her.

I didn’t remember pushing the blankets down, just the raw pleasure of running my hand slowly down her side, brushing the curve of her breast through her T-shirt, wanting the barrier between us gone.

Mine, my Mori growled.

Mine, I agreed as my hand found the bare skin of her stomach.

The small gasp against my lips brought me back to my senses so fast my head spun.

Khristu, what am I doing?

It took everything in me to lift my mouth from hers and to stop myself from taking what I craved more than the air in my lungs. I laid my head beside hers and studied her profile as I willed my body and heart to calm down.

My arm still lay across her, and I could feel her chest rise and fall rapidly as her heart hammered in tune with mine. She wanted me too, but it was easy to let desire carry you away. When we made love, it would be because she was ready for that final commitment, and not because she’d been swept away by a moment of passion.