Chapter Six—The Search Begins #4
Staying in the shadows of buildings, he loped easily down the sidewalk, turning left into a side street and then right and right again until he came to an expensive hotel with a liveried doorman.
Trust Balor to spare no expense. He sniffed cautiously at the sidewalk, sending the mental message to the doorman that he was merely a scoundrel dog.
Balor had been here, but his scent was old.
Turning, he followed the scent back to the water near his hotel. And then it was gone. The wolf nearly howled in frustration. Balor had gone into the sea to avoid detection. But where was he now?
Lucas made the leap back to the window, his paws sinking into the thick carpet on the floor of his room. Before he made the transformation back, he scented once more. Nothing. No one had been here.
He put on his shorts and pants and lay down on the bed. Sleep would come swiftly as it always did after the change. The last thing he did was check to make sure his sgian dubh was under the pillow.
Near dawn, he was awakened by a shrill scream piercing the air. Sara! Grabbing the knife, he bolted out the door, nearly knocking down a guest from across the hall who was sleepily rubbing his eyes.
The door to Sara’s room stood open, and as he entered, he saw her cowering in bed, a silver fork from the restaurant clutched in one hand. There was blood on the prongs.
He closed the door to onlookers, assuring them she had a nightmare. Then he quickly crossed over to the bed and sat down, gathering her into his arms.
“What happened?”
She sank into his embrace, the hand with the fork in it encircling his neck. Gingerly, he dislodged it and put it on the nightstand. Silver, even plate, was something he avoided. So did Balor.
“I woke to find someone in my room. He was searching for something, so I pretended to be asleep. I heard him curse.” She took a deep breath and Lucas could feel her shudder and he drew her closer.
“Then he came to the bed. He said something like, ‘Bitch, you’ll pay for this,’ and then he reached for me.
” Sara paused and tightened her hold around Lucas’s neck.
“I stabbed him with the fork and he cursed again. That’s when I started screaming and he turned and ran. ”
Lucas gently pushed her head down onto his shoulder and stroked her hair. If he hadn’t been so drained, he would have sensed Balor the moment he entered the room. Even now, the stench of evil clung to the door.
“You’re all right now. It’s over. He won’t be back.”
Her other arm had found its way around his waist and he tried to ignore the warmth that was spreading through him. Her hair smelled of roses and he could see the pale swell of her breasts beneath the blue silk nightgown she wore.
“How can you be so sure?”
“What?” Focus, Ramsey.
“That he won’t be back.”
“You’ve made too much noise. Half the hotel was in the hallway.
” And Balor knows that I’ll be on guard.
He probably watched me leave—no doubt deliberately left the scent for me to pick up—and knew what the aftereffects of the change would be.
He had the opportune moment, but it’s gone now.
But I can’t tell Sara. “Besides, it’s almost light outside. ”
“Was it him? The Baylor guy?”
“I’m sure it was,” Lucas replied. “Remember the uneasy feeling I had?”
She snuggled closer. “Me, too. He was looking for the manuscript, wasn’t he?”
“Yes.” Suddenly he remembered his door was still open. “I’d better go get it.” Reluctantly he removed her arm from around his neck and slid her off his lap. “I’ll be right back.”
“No. I’m coming with you,” she said as she looked at him, her eyes still showing her fright and her lips trembling.
Her lips…full and lush and parted slightly.
He dipped his head to lightly brush a kiss across them and heard her sharp intake of air.
Her satin arms encircled his neck again and he ran his fingers through her hair, holding her in place as his mouth covered hers, gently at first and then with increasing pressure, drawing the bottom lip in and sucking on it, then softly kissing the corner of her mouth, teasing her.
She moaned and leaned closer, her breasts grazing him.
His hands slid down her shoulders and around her back, and he pressed her against his chest as his tongue sought entrance.
Her lips parted in invitation and he slowly explored her mouth, his tongue alternating between slowly encircling hers and thrusting hard and deep, only to withdraw and bedevil her lips with airy kisses until her own mouth and tongue were demanding more, thrusting inside his with a passion he hadn’t tasted in centuries.
They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Cursing softly, he left a lingering kiss and got up to open the door.
“I wanted to make sure everything was all right,” the innkeeper said anxiously.
“Yes. It was just a nightmare,” Lucas replied. “Nothing to worry about.”
“Well, if you’re sure,” he replied. “But please, breakfast is on the house.”
“Thank you,” Lucas replied and closed the door. Sunlight was filtering through the window as the dawn awakened. And with it, the spell was broken. What had I been thinking? I know better than to give in to lust. The wolf…
He glanced at Sara, but she too seemed to sense the moment was over for she was tying a robe around her waist.
“We have a flight to catch,” she said. “Perhaps we should get dressed.”
He nodded. “I’ll grab a quick shower and be back to pick you up.”
It wasn’t until he was standing under the cold water, trying to ignore his still-hard erection that he realized the wolf hadn’t even growled.