But though his lips were so sweet beneath hers, and kissing him such a divine relief that he was alive, Adrian’s body and magic were so exhausted from whatever he’d endured that his Dragon barely stirred in his veins. He smiled as their lips parted, resting his forehead against Layla’s with a sigh. “Thank god you’re safe! I love you so much, Layla…”
“I love you too, Adrian…” she breathed, seizing his haggard face in her hands and kissing him again, tasting her own tears as they rolled down her face. She wore Reginald’s bracelet and earrings, and though her Dragon stirred with rage at Adrian’s condition, only a wash of bourbon-heat lifted up around her. But Adrian inhaled her scent, opening his lips and flaring his nostrils to capture it. Layla saw his eyes brighten; with a slow roar, she finally felt the muscled coils of his magic surround her – as if her scent had fed him strength.
“Thank you,” Adrian breathed at her lips.
But Adrian slumped against her, exhausted, and Dusk began pulling him up with generous support. Layla rose also, though she had to clutch one post of the bed to not fall over from her own exhaustion. As Adrian came to standing, Layla watched his gaze lock on Heathren Merkami. The depth of mutual hatred that simmered there took Layla’s breath away as she watched the two men face off, Adrian inhaling Layla’s scent again. She felt it surge through him, spreading his coils in a writhing, furious wave. And though he was still exhausted and keeping Dusk close for support, Adrian rose to his full height, staring Heathren down with fire in his Mediterranean-gold eyes.
“Using thirteen Vampires to break me was too few, Heathren.” Adrian spoke coldly.
“I’ll get more approved for next time.” Heathren’s voice was just as cold, a dark sensation of nightmares easing off him. In her mind’s eye, Layla thought she saw the Ephilohim’s seven-layer wings again. Except this time they weren’t white or silver, they were black – dark as death.
“Do that.” With a regal nod to the Intercessoria, Adrian stepped past, though he still had to lean heavily on Dusk. He held his hand out to Layla and she abandoned her bedpost. As he gathered her in his arms, he kissed her deep and she kissed him back, tasting desert spices upon his lips. Adrian inhaled her scent again, his coils and barbs of Dragon-energy strengthening more. At last, he set his forehead to hers, then reached up to stroke her face.
“I’ll be back soon,” he spoke softly, a wry twist upon his lips. “I promise.”
“You’d better be.” Layla smiled sadly, knowing he needed to rest from whatever he’d gone through, but hating that he had to leave.
“I’ll take him up to my apartment,” Dusk spoke, making eye contact with Layla. “I can resonate the crystals there to heal him faster. Rikyava’s just outside the door, Layla. If the Intercessoria—”
“We’re finished here.” Heathren and Insinio moved to the doors, opening the second door to give Adrian a wide berth. Making stern eye contact with Layla, Heathren continued. “If you recall anything else, Ms. Price, Dusk knows how to contact me. In the meantime, we will continue to maintain a presence at the Paris Hotel in case Hunter shows up again. With the Hotel Head’s permission, we would like to make modifications to your security systems, in order to potentially track the energy fluctuations around Hunter that King Arini discovered.”
Heathren watched Adrian, waiting for an answer.
Adrian’s gaze went icy as it dug into the Ephilohim. “I’ll think about it.”
“Don’t think too long,” Heathren’s gaze was a dark match to Adrian’s intensity. “Every hour of delay is another hour for Hunter to kill again.”
With that, Heathren turned, flicking his fingers for Insinio. The two Judiciaries departed in a flow of deadly elegance, and Adrian watched them go with cold hatred in his eyes. Outside Layla’s rooms, eight Hotel Guardsmen in crimson watched them leave also, the tall blonde Rikyava giving a growl as the Ephilohim finally turned a corner, lost to sight.
“I fucking hate angels.” She snarled, her violet eyes flashing a bloody crimson. Glancing at Dusk and Adrian, she said, “Adrian! Jesus, you look like shit! You guys need some help?”
“I’ve got this.” Dusk spoke, as Adrian shook his head.
“Stay with Layla, Rikyava,” Adrian murmured. “Please.”
“Of course.” Rikyava’s gaze became sweetly all-violet again as she smiled at Layla, then flicked her fingers at two of her Guardsmen. “Bruno, Lars. Help Dusk get Adrian up to the fourth floor.”
They moved off, Adrian giving Layla a tired, though reassuring smile as they went. Rikyava bustled Layla back to her room, shutting the doors and hustling Layla back to bed. Still weak with her own exhaustion, Layla crawled in as Rikyava went to the table, fetching a spread of food and coffee on a tray. Moving back, the Head Guardswoman climbed up beside Layla, plunking the tray down and giving Layla a sad smile.
“Girl’s night tonight, chica. Hope that’s ok.”
“Just what the doctor ordered.” Layla smiled, meaning it.
CHAPTER 24 – AFFECTION
The next morning Layla still felt pain, though it was rapidly improving. Rikyava had departed and Layla sat in her cobalt robe at her breakfast table, eating bacon and eggs Benedict, when a brisk knock came at the door. With a large bite of Benedict in her mouth, Layla startled, coughing as she tried to speak but inhaled instead. But before she could say anything, swallowing her bite, someone bustled in. Layla smiled as she smelled Dusk’s crystalline river-water scent, glancing over as he entered.
“Good morning.” Moving to the table and stepping behind her chair, Dusk kissed her on the neck, lingering and smelling her scent with a smile of his soft lips against her skin.
“Hi.” Layla smiled also, reaching up and winding her hands behind his neck. As she turned into him, their lips met, and they kissed a long moment. Dusk was grinning as he pulled away, a sexy diamond-sapphire fire in his eyes. Even with Reginald’s pearls still on her wrist and in her ears, Layla’s magic gave a delightful simmer of orange-bourbon scent as her Dragon rippled eagerly inside her, delighted to be home in Dusk’s arms.
“Someone’s feeling recovered today.” He grinned, nuzzling her nose. “I can smell your Dragon partying like your breakfast’s an open bar at a wedding.”
“It’s not breakfast she’s celebrating.” Layla smiled as Dusk stepped to her side, hauling out a seat at the gilded French Baroque table and settling into it. “My bones still hurt like I got run over by a Mac truck, but seeing you makes my day brighter.”
“Lucky me. And you practically did get run over by a Mac truck.” Dusk smiled roguishly, teasing and bright. Dressed in one of his impeccable dove-grey Italian suits, he was resplendent as always, rakish and sexy as hell. “High-diving into the ocean from three hundred feet up doesn’t tend to be healthy. I’m glad you’re improving.”
“How’s Adrian?” Layla asked, taking a bite of bacon with a worried frown.
