He glanced at Paz. “How did you know?”
I’m a demon and a cat. I know everything.
“Little bastard.”
“He is at that. Why? What did he do?” Orion lifted the kitten and tucked him against his chest, scolding him for racing away. It was as if the vryko refused to acknowledge the demon, insisting on Paz really being a cat.
Kraft shook his head and lifted Riley, content he had her in his arms, safe. His prey once more.
Except she felt nothing like prey and more and more like kin.
It made no sense, yet there it was. A tie to the berserker that refused to fade.
And what am I going to do about that?
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
Riley wokein a big bed with luxury sheets next to a dead man. She sat up in a hurry and stared down at Kraft, once again asleep in his bed, the faint light from a side table providing subtle illumination. Confused, because the last thing she remembered she’d been battling fellow lycans, she took her time walking to the bathroom.
After taking care of business, she stared at her reflection and cringed. She had blood matted to her belly and the side of her face. She tasted copper in her mouth as well. But the taste was slightly sweet, and as she licked her teeth, she felt thirsty for more. Bizarre. She didn’t remember biting any lycans that tasted like candy.
Needing a shower to truly wake up, she took her time soaping up in Kraft’s huge shower, complete with an overhead rainfall showerhead and handheld nozzle. She felt odd using Kraft’s shampoo to wash her hair, but it also set her at ease. Smelling like mint and forest and a hint of spice, like Kraft, she rinsed and dried off, then dressed with a spare set of clothes from her duffel.
A glance at her charging phone showed the hour to be three in the afternoon.
Remembrances of last night came back to her, and she dialed her uncle immediately and paced, worried for her pack and the lycans in their territory.
He answered right away. “Riley, there you are.”
She breathed out a sigh of relief. “Uncle Jack, we have a problem.”
He growled. “I know. I need you back here. Right now.”
“But—”
“Now,Riley. We’ve got civil war brewing, a major violation with the Rainier mages, and charges against you for annihilating several members of the Torn-Fang pack.”
“That’s what I’m saying. I found them sliced and diced by rogue sorcerers and that dickhead who tried to take me out at the Capitol Hill bazaar. Look, I’m on my way to Noblewood. Please, Uncle,Alpha,don’t do anything until I get there.”
“Trust me. I won’t.” He disconnected.
Great. Everything’s gone to hell and I have no idea how I got here.
And I don’t want to leave.
She walked over to Kraft and studied the softened lines of his face. Would he miss her when she left? Would he even be bothered? She clenched her hand tight to keep from touching him and felt like a fool. Imagine developing a crush on a being who had no conscience and lived for destruction.
But that’s not true. He helped you, and he’s been anything but cruel. He’s even kind of funny.
No. No more messing around with the nachzehrer.
She had more important things to worry about—like the health of her pack, and, you know, the fate of the world.
Grabbing her things, she left his room.
And walked into Mormo.
Crap.
