Читать книгу Trio of Seduction - Cassie Ryan - Страница 11

K iera bolted upright in bed, the Ruger a comforting weight in her hand as she scanned the room for anything out of place. Her heart pounded, and the sudden rush of adrenaline made her light-headed.

Shiloh stretched beside her and then yawned but didn’t bother to stand or even look around.

Wispy dream images floated just beyond her reach, and she scowled as she recalled dreaming about the dark Klatch prince watching her sleep. “Damn, Kiera, you really need to get laid and stop obsessing about the man who got you into this mess in the first place.”

She sighed with relief that it had been only a dream that woke her.

Shiloh’s head swiveled toward the window, his ears flattened against his head, his eyes narrowed.

Shit.

By the time the cat hissed, Kiera had already stood and slipped out into the hallway, alert for any sounds that would indicate an intruder. Shiloh slid past her ankles, heading straight down the stairs and to the right toward the kitchen. She silently cursed the cat and then remembered if it wasn’t for his hissed warning, she wouldn’t think anyone had breached her security.

Fine. If she lived through this, she would refrain from shooting him.

Maybe.

She placed each foot precisely on the stairs to ensure she made no noise. She continued forward until she stood on the bottom step. Adrenaline pumped through her body. Her heart pounded, and her temples throbbed.

She swallowed hard, hating the metallic taste of fear on the back of her tongue.

After a deep breath for courage, she placed her finger against the gun trigger and pivoted into the kitchen, the gun leading.

A tall figure loomed before her out of the darkness.

Terror flashed through her in a searing rush, and the scene slowed to a crawl.

She squeezed the trigger.

A loud crack filled her ears as the recoil traveled up her arms and into her torso like a shove from a large, unseen hand.

The flash from the muzzle fire illuminated the room, and she blinked hard as her eyes tried to adjust to the sudden burst of light.

An oval of pink sizzling energy surrounded the intruder as the bullet bounced against his energy shield.

Kiera dove to the side to try to avoid the ricochet.

When pain lanced up her side from her abrupt landing instead of a bullet wound, she mouthed a silent thanks to the universe.

She rolled to her left in the small confines of the kitchen, and her head hit the wooden cabinet hard. Silver flashes of light popped just behind her eyelids, and a wave of nausea threatened. She took a deep breath to clear her head and instantly regretted it as a fresh round of throbbing pain reverberated through her head.

Sharp pressure against her wrist made her cry out, and she opened her hand and allowed the gun to slip from her suddenly limp fingers.

Dark boots filled her wavering vision in the weak moonlight filtering in through the curtains. She clenched her jaw and resisted the urge to wince as she waited for the final deathblow to fall.

Oddly, she felt no fear, only anger and a sincere hope she’d be offered the option to haunt the son of a bitch until he threw himself off a building.

Something small and cold landed in her still-open palm, and she frowned as her fingers closed over it. It was round and almost felt like a coin.

She lifted her hand close to her face and held the object between her thumb and first finger, glad her vision had begun to stabilize.

A quarter.

Fresh nausea inched its way up her throat as the implications poured through her.

Who besides she and her father knew about their escape plan and their code? The sour taste of bile filled her mouth along with anger and a protective instinct where her father was concerned.

“All your safe houses have been compromised. I’ve come to take you to safety.”

Kiera started as her brain finally made sense of the words. Her roiling stomach calmed a little as conflicting emotions of relief and fear washed over her as if she were on a strange, undulating rollercoaster.

Only then did she realize she had heard the voice before.

The Klatch prince.

Crap.

She pushed herself up to sit back against the cabinet, surprised when her head didn’t protest. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust so she could make out the man’s features in the darkened room.

He held out one long-fingered hand, palm open between them, while she decided if she would accept his help or not.

If he’d wanted to kill you, you’d already be dead. Might as well take it.

She huffed at her own indecision and finally reached up to place her hand in his. Warm, strong flesh closed over hers, causing little flutters deep inside her belly as she allowed herself to be pulled to standing.

The world tilted at her sudden change in position.

She closed her eyes and swallowed hard as she swayed on her feet, and her knees threatened to buckle under her.

Damn. Maybe I hit my head harder than I thought .

Irritation warred with mortification as the Klatch prince pulled her tight against his hard chest. The muscular body under her fingertips and against her breasts would’ve been enough for any woman to appreciate, but it was his warmth and the musky scent of the deep woods which surrounded her that threatened to pull a sigh from her lips. It took a valiant attempt, but she resisted the impulse to bury her nose against his chest and inhale.

Barely.

That urge alone brought her to her senses.

Kiera pushed away from him to stand on her own. She locked her knees and laid a steadying hand on the counter next to her. The cold from the Formica seeped into her fingers, cooling her suddenly feverish skin. It felt so good, she considered laying her forehead against the counter for one long indulgent moment.

“Are you all right?” His rich tenor voice flowed over her in a sensual assault, reminding her of his presence.

Embarrassment at him seeing her during a weak moment quickly morphed into anger, which chased away the last vestiges of dizziness.

“Who the hell are you?” she demanded, not bothering to answer his question. She finally raised her gaze to meet his, which tipped her head back enough to make both her head and stomach swim precariously. She swallowed hard and stared at his Adam’s apple.

Dusky skin surrounded his very masculine throat, which also led her to study the hard line of his jaw and the scattered dark chest hairs that peeked out from beneath the collar of the lovingly tight black T-shirt he wore. She bit the inside of her cheek hard, concentrating on the pain instead of the rugged masculinity of the man in front of her.

“Just call me Ryan. We need to get you out of here before the assassins find you.”

At the mention of the assassins, heat speared up her neck and into her cheeks. She had been so lost in noticing his fine…attributes…that she had totally forgotten the situation that brought him here. Her anger burned higher, but at herself this time, and she wrapped it around herself like a shield.

Kiera bent to retrieve her Ruger and then stood to study Ryan for a long moment, careful that her expression was contemptuous rather than inviting. “That’s not what I meant. I already gathered from our earlier encounter that you’re Prince Ryan of the Klatch .” She glared at him waiting for an answer. When none came, she huffed out a breath and continued. “I’m not going anywhere until I decide if I’m better or worse off with you than the assassins. Who sent you, and why should I trust you? You’re the reason the council thinks I betrayed them.”

His expression never changed except for his eyes, which danced with amusement.

She resisted the urge to shake him.

“I never meant to cause you trouble.” He held his arms out to the side in an “I’m innocent” gesture. “But I don’t know if the situation can be rectified at this point.”

The fact that he had a point only irritated her further. It wasn’t as if he could give her a note or even show up at the Cunt Council headquarters and say, “Hey everyone, just a big misunderstanding. Can you call off your doctor hunt?”

“As for the rest. If I meant you harm, I could’ve just left you to the assassins.”

A blur of orange streaked between them, and then Ryan was holding Shiloh, a shocked look on his face—the prince, not the cat.

“Traitor,” she muttered, but Shiloh only cuddled against Ryan and began a loud purr.

Ryan recovered quickly and shifted his grip so he could scratch Shiloh behind the ears. The cat’s purring increased exponentially, and Kiera resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Though she was grudging to admit it, the little pain-in-the-ass feline had always been an excellent judge of character. If she weren’t so stubborn, that alone would have convinced her that Ryan meant her no harm.

“So, if I agree to go with you, just where do you propose we go where the assassins and half the Cunt race won’t find me?” She arched an eyebrow at him in challenge. “Or you for helping me?”

“Tador.”

Her mouth dropped open in surprise. Whatever answer she had expected, it wasn’t that.

All Cunts had been exiled from Tador almost twenty-five years ago right after the Cunt uprising against the Klatch throne. Even though Kiera carried only half that lineage, her blond hair and blue eyes alone would condemn her with many of the inhabitants of the witch home world.

However, that didn’t stop her from being curious. Her mother and several of her patients from both races had told her stories about Tador, and she longed to see it for herself—to walk where her mother had walked and see what she had seen. Not to mention, it would give her a chance to see if the Klatch royals were ready for the reunification of the species that she was convinced was the only way to heal both races.

“Speechless, I see.” He flashed a quick smile, nearly a smirk, and then it was gone before she could study it to decide. “I would’ve thought it would take more than that.”

Kiera ignored the jibe and propped her fists on her hips, the Ruger still cupped in her right palm. “Obviously you aren’t running for prince of the year, or you wouldn’t be considering bringing someone with Cunt blood running through her veins back to sully the sacred soil of Tador.”

He laughed and shook his head in mock sadness. “I doubt with the year I’ve had I’m even in the running.” He sat Shiloh gently on the counter and, still watching Kiera, missed the narrowed orange glare of displeasure from the cat. “Regardless, that’s the one place the assassins can’t get to you.” He glanced away and then back as if deciding his next words carefully. “However, Tador is very much in need of a Healer at present, so we could help each other.”

Kiera started at the word “Healer.” He said it like an office unto itself, not as if he used it as a generic term for a doctor.

A loud hiss sounded from Shiloh, startling them both.

Ryan grabbed Shiloh around the middle and wrapped one large hand around Kiera’s wrist, nearly dragging her out of the kitchen. He shoved open the door to the garage and pulled her through into the darkened, chilly room.

“Hey!” she protested when no alarms sounded as the door opened.

How the hell did he disable my alarms?

Another firm yank pulled her toward the passenger side of the Humvee and cut off anything else she would’ve said.

The sharp spate of gunfire sounded from the back of the house and convinced her to enter the code to open the car door and jump inside the Humvee unasked.

Ryan tossed Shiloh onto her lap and slammed the passenger door. Only then did she realize she sat in the passenger seat and Ryan meant to drive.

More gunfire erased any thought of objecting. She dumped the cat into the back seat, who for once didn’t protest, and clicked her seatbelt into the buckle just as Ryan slid into driver’s seat.

“Keys.” He held out his hand, and she fished inside her front jeans pocket for her keychain. She nearly dropped them on the floor when another round of gunfire sounded from just the other side of the garage door in front of them. Her father had trained her for situations such as these, but tonight was the first time she had ever found herself in a truly life-threatening one.

It was humbling to admit that no matter all her training and knowledge, without her father, she didn’t feel ready or prepared.

Ryan plucked the keys from her hand and started the ignition.

“Wait, the garage door—”

Ryan flashed her a grin and then floored the gas pedal.

The Humvee shot forward, and Kiera closed her eyes.

The wrenching sound of metal drowned out the sound of gunfire for a few long moments. The Humvee lurched as it drove over several bumps, so she opened her eyes and craned her neck to look behind them.

Even in the dim moonlight, she could see that the garage door had come off nearly intact, and they had most likely driven right over it, and possibly over some of the men who had come after them.

Me , she corrected herself. They are after me, not Ryan .

She was considered the traitor to the Cunts, though she had no doubt that killing a Klatch prince would be a rare treat for the treacherous Cunt Council and their assassins. Ryan would be just a perk—she was the real target.

A quick flash of guilt washed over her, but she quickly shoved it aside to worry about later. After all, if it weren’t for his interruption of her meeting with Danen last night, things might not have gotten this out of control.

A car swerved onto the road behind them, the headlights blinding her for a moment while her eyes adjusted. “Shit.”

“We need only to get to an existing portal point, and we’re home free.” The calmness of his voice surprised her and also soothed her for some unknown reason. He sounded as if he were answering her over coffee instead of in the midst of a dangerous car chase.

Kiera glanced over at him, noting that in the excitement of the moment, he had forgotten to drop his chin so his cascade of long dark hair covered his scar. The dappled moonlight that shone through the windows softened the angry pink and red color of the scar. An urge to touch the puckered skin where it met the corner of his lips tingled through her fingers, and she squelched it by clenching her fist.

Unbelievable timing, Kiera! It’s not like we are running for our lives or anything here .

As if he felt her intense scrutiny, he turned his head, and their eyes met for a brief moment before he returned his gaze to the road.

In that instant, she had seen deep vulnerability and pain. She felt like she had intruded on something private and wished she could take it back.

A sizzling blue bolt struck the back of the Humvee and shook the windows so hard she thought they would shatter.

“Damn.” Ryan turned the wheel hard, steering them off the road and into a patch of trees that lined the road.

Kiera gasped and gripped the dash so hard her fingers hurt. She pictured the Humvee crashing into a thick copse of pine trees and leaving them unconscious and at the mercy of whoever followed them.

However, a moment later when there was no crash, only the high-pitched squealing of branches scratching the sides of the car, she breathed a sigh of relief. Obviously Ryan had seen an opening she hadn’t.

Darkness enveloped them now that they were surrounded by thick forest with only a small path to drive through. Weak moonlight filtered in through occasional gaps in the trees, but most of the illumination came from their headlights and the soft glow of the Humvee’s dash panel.

Ryan turned the wheel hard to navigate around a fallen tree, and she grabbed the door handle and dash to keep from sliding, even with the restraint of her seatbelt holding her in place. “I don’t know how familiar you are with energy blasts, but too much will short out every electrical system in the car.”

“Oh,” was all she could think to offer as an answer. At least that explained why they were suddenly off-roading through a seemingly impenetrable forest in the murky dark. She stifled a rather girly squeak as they bounced over a large bump and all four tires were airborne for a long moment until they landed hard.

As the tires hit the ground and Kiera’s breath whooshed out at the impact, another blue blast encompassed the Humvee but only managed a weak blue glow before it dissipated. Apparently casting through all the trees and brush had its disadvantages.

Kiera had treated plenty of energy burns but hadn’t had much experience with the actual beams themselves—until tonight.

“How far to the nearest existing portal point?” She had heard detailed accounts of how horrible it was walking through the between , but she couldn’t help but feel excited and curious rather than nervous. She was definitely her father’s daughter, complete with affection for the unknown—danger be damned.

“The trick will be not only to reach the nearest portal, but also to make it to the other side where there are Klatch guards to discourage our ‘friends’ from following us.” He took one hand off the steering wheel to chuck a thumb over his shoulder toward their “friends.”

She craned her neck to look behind them and saw the dim glow of headlights through the thick forest that lay between them. A quick glance down at the backseat showed Shiloh laying flat on his stomach clinging to the leather seats with all four paws, claws extended and dug deep into the material. His expression seemed more irritated than scared, which brought a small smile to her lips. “Hang in there, Shi,” she said and was rewarded with the most pitiful hangdog look she had ever seen on the feisty cat’s face.

A flicker of blue caught her attention, and she looked up in time to see another energy beam bearing down on them.

“Hold on,” Ryan warned, letting her know he had seen it, too.

The Humvee jarred to the side, barely avoiding the blast of energy.

The sudden jolt banged Kiera’s temple against the headrest and brought back her earlier bout of dizziness.

She faced front and closed her eyes as she sucked deep breaths into her lungs, hoping to clear her head. “How far?” The Humvee swerved again, and the high-pitched screech of branches scratching the doors screamed through her like nails on a chalkboard.

“I can sense the portal point getting closer, but I’m not sure if this little trail we are attempting to drive on will cooperate.” He risked a quick glance in her direction before turning his attention back to the road just in time to steer around a large boulder and into a wider part of a small ravine. “After I emerged from the portal, I used actual roads to find you.”

Kiera snorted at his deadpan attempt at humor. She could definitely navigate. The familiar comfort of taking charge surged through her, and her confidence poured back with a vengeance. “Describe the general location of the portal point to me.”

“It’s just next to a small pond with many ducks. There is a natural clearing near it with ankle high grasses and a natural stream. I had to walk through the forest for about five minutes from there to reach the main road.”

A mental map of the area formed inside Kiera’s mind, and she knew the “pond” he referred to was Kinnikinick Lake. There were a few possibilities as to the road, depending on which side of the half-mile-wide lake he emerged from. “Was the road you found paved or dirt?”

“Paved.”

Crap. That ruled out only two sides of the lake.

“Close to the portal are two pine trees with twined trunks. There were orange strips of cloth tied to them.”

Relief and excitement burned through her. She knew those trees and had seen those strips of orange the hunters left to mark the area. Her gaze scanned the moonlight-dappled scenery that bumped and sped by as she tried to get a fix on exactly where they were now and how best to get them to where they needed to go.

The front of the Humvee dipped into a large ravine, and she gripped the door and dash, grateful her seatbelt held her in place. When they reached the bottom of the ravine and started up the other side, gravity pushed her back against the seat just as another blue beam of energy engulfed the Humvee.

Sparks flew from the dash panels, and the smell of burning electrical wires filled the car.

Kiera coughed as the acrid smoke filled her lungs. Icy fingers of panic crawled down her spine.

She shielded her face with her arms as the sparks continued to fly from the dash panels.

Sparks hit her arms like dozens of angry ant bites, and she yelped.

Her fingers groped for the button to roll down the window. When she found it, she jabbed it so hard she was surprised the small lever didn’t break off in her hand.

One tense moment later, the window shakily complied with a high-pitched whine. The crisp night air stole the acrid smoke from the cab of the Humvee, and she leaned toward the open window and breathed deep.

Ryan slammed on the gas, and somehow the Humvee made it to the top of the hill and sped forward, leaving their followers to fight their way out of the ravine.

After mouthing a silent thanks to the universe that the Humvee was still running, she spared a quick glance backward and then turned to Ryan. “I should be driving. Switch with me.”

“What?” His eyes left the road long enough for them to hit several large bumps that made her nervous.

“Watch the road!” When he complied, she huffed out a breath and restated the obvious, while she held on through the bumps and twists of the road. “I know the surrounding area and can’t shoot energy beams. You can, I assume, shoot energy beams and don’t know where we’re trying to go.” She stared at the side of his face, daring him to disagree, although the effect was most likely lost since he was staring straight ahead. “I should be driving, it just makes more sense. If you want some extra firepower to distract any humans in their group, there’s a duffel under the hatchback floor. Switch with me.”

Not bothering to wait for his approval, she unhooked her seatbelt and laid her seat down into a reclining position to give him room to maneuver his bigger frame when they switched. She gripped the steering wheel with her left hand and slipped her leg over his and onto the gas pedal. When he reluctantly moved his foot from the gas, she lifted her butt off the seat and slid it onto his thigh.

“This would be much more interesting if we weren’t being chased by a team of assassins,” Ryan said against her ear through gritted teeth.

Gooseflesh from his hot breath against her sensitive skin marched down her neck.

Now was not an ideal time to allow herself to become distracted.

He moved out from under her, and she slid into the driver’s seat, lifting her butt again so he could retrieve his left leg.

Kiera snapped her seatbelt into place and spared a quick glance for Ryan, who was had already climbed into the backseat. “Hold tight, and try not to land on the cat.” She zigzagged through the forest, careful to avoid fallen logs and ravines, while keeping the gas pedal as close to the floorboards as possible without crashing. The Humvee definitely didn’t handle like her PT Cruiser, and it took her a several minutes to get used to driving the larger vehicle through forest terrain.

“Bollocks, what don’t you have in this bag?” Ryan’s voice held grudging respect rather than censure.

Apparently he had found her stash of weapons. She heard a thud as he transferred them to the backseat. When no offended feline screech ripped through the car, she knew the bag hadn’t landed on Shiloh. If she had any doubts, they were dispelled when the cat jumped into the front passenger seat and then plopped down on his stomach and dug his claws into the leather upholstery.

“I don’t see them behind us anymore. Keep an eye out—” Ryan’s words were cut off when a large truck careened out of the forest and directly into their path.

A spurt of fear crashed over her like a tidal wave.

She turned the wheel hard.

Twigs and dirt hit the underside of the Humvee like an explosion as the tires spun and then finally caught.

The back quarter panel of the Humvee slammed into the nose of the truck.

Kiera’s head smashed against the side window, and she cried out as pain blossomed across her temple.

Sounds of crunching metal filled her ears even as the world swam precariously in front of her.

She stomped on the gas and the Humvee shot forward.

The screech of tree branches scratching metal blended with the loud crack of snapping tree limbs and shattering safety glass.

“Kiera!”

She blinked furiously, realizing that she had nearly blacked out. A grouping of trees stood directly in their path, and she couldn’t seem to get the message to her arms to turn the wheel.

Ryan reached over the front seat and turned the wheel hard to the right.

The Humvee responded but clipped the trees on the driver’s side as they narrowly missed the head-on collision.

“Let up on the gas. Pull over here, and turn off the lights.”

Her slow-moving brain didn’t argue, which should have told her how injured she was. Instead, she followed his instructions.

When she put the car into park, Ryan reached over her to shut off the lights, his warm hand resting on her shoulder. “Grab the cat and get out.” Shiloh’s warm body was thrust into her arms.

“Don’t forget the gun duffel and my backpack,” she said in his general direction before she pushed open the door and stepped out into the chilly night. It was stupid, but those two bags were the last links she had to her father—other than the heavy ball of fur in her arms.

As the cold night closed around her, she shivered, and her nipples tightened into hard nubs against her thin lacy bra as the overwhelming smell of pine filled her senses. The thin material of her T-shirt was little protection against the frigid night breeze swirling through the forest. Shiloh curled tight against her stomach, and she held him closer, enjoying what little pulsing heat he offered.

She glanced up, surprised to find Ryan standing in front of her. “Shit. I’m losing time.” The logical part of her brain told her she most likely had a concussion and needed to get to a hospital soon. The rest of her wanted to giggle and then lie down and take a nap.

Ryan captured her chin between his fingers, and the warmth of his skin burned through her, clearing her thoughts and making her frown.

“Arousal should not override the effects of a concussion.” Her words sounded a bit slurred, and she wondered if they actually were or if her hearing had been affected.

Ryan laughed as he looked deeply into her eyes. It took her a moment to realize he was probably checking her pupils, not stealing a quick romantic moment. She nearly laughed at her own fragmented thoughts.

“Remind me to explain to you one of the necessary food groups for a witch—Klatch or Cunt—when we aren’t in so much danger.” He took Shiloh from her and set the cat on the ground with a quick admonishment to stay close.

“I’m a doctor, damn it. I know all about witches needing sexual energy.” The severe slurring of her words frustrated her, and she clenched her jaw. A quick shiver ran through her as the warm patch Shiloh had left against her stomach dissipated, leaving her colder than before.

She snorted at Ryan’s admonishment to Shiloh. Since when did the stubborn fricking cat ever listen? He had a mind of his own, and it would probably be wiser for her to carry his heavy ass. She tried to say the words, but for some reason, they never made it to her lips.

Ryan slipped her backpack over her arms and settled it between her shoulder blades before he hefted the gun duffel onto his own broad shoulder. “Let me know if this gets too heavy and we’ll drop it. Let’s go.”

She shook her head, which was all she was able to manage. This backpack was everything she needed to survive on the run—money, alternate IDs and more. There was no way she was leaving it.

Ryan didn’t stop to acknowledge her denial. He grabbed her hand and started forward just as noises of pursuit reached them from back the way they had come.

Kiera stumbled after him, concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other and not tripping over roots, fallen tree branches, or even worse—her own feet.

Scant slivers of silver moonlight filtered through the canopy of pine branches to dapple the forest floor, which in her current condition, only made it harder to stay upright, since the gently swaying patches of light made her dizzy.

Ryan’s warm fingers around hers made her hand the only part of her entire body that wasn’t shivering with cold. Even the exertion of jogging through thick underbrush didn’t seem to raise her temperature.

When her feet were frozen through and her lips were so numb she could no longer feel them, they stopped, and Ryan raised his free hand in the air.

A shimmering silver oval appeared in front of them and expanded rapidly until it was large enough to step through. Ryan led the way and had just crossed the threshold when the sound of crackling energy slowly filtered through her foggy brain.

A blue beam sizzled past her and hit Ryan in the shoulder. He stiffened and growled through gritted teeth.

Energy tingled through her fingertips where they were joined with his and surged up her arm in a heady rush.

Ryan stumbled and fell back, away from the portal, his hand pulling free from hers. As he fell, he sent a sizzling pink beam back at the assassins.

Kiera whipped her head around just as another beam of energy hit her square in the chest.

She gasped as liquid warmth threaded its way over her skin in a tingling rush.

Every hair on her body stood on end as another blue beam joined the first. A surge of pure power and heat seeped below her skin and spilled through her veins, thawing her extremities and filling her with pure searing energy…and lust—there was no other way to describe it.

Her breasts became heavy with need, and her pussy throbbed as her clit swelled until her soft lacy panties were nearly unbearable against the sensitive little nub.

What the hell was happening? Obviously others didn’t have the same reaction to an energy beam as she did.

A laugh spilled from her lips at the erotic sensation.

The beams cut off abruptly, and she nearly sagged as the energy left her. When she straightened, she realized her thoughts were clear and all her pain was gone.

Has the world gone crazy?

Her suddenly clear mind registered three black-clad assassins. The man in the middle was a pure human, and the outer two were Cunt warriors.

She didn’t stop to question how she knew that information. Especially when they reached over their shoulders to retrieve the rifles slung across their backs.

“Shit!”

Ryan yanked her toward the portal.

But just as she started to step through, it spiraled closed with a fizzing sound and disappeared as if it never existed.

Ryan pulled her down across his lap, his aura merging with hers in a skin-prickling rush just as the sound of gunfire exploded around them.