Chapter 18
Kira blinkedsleep blurred eyes as she awakened to a room doused in pale…purple light, her body pleasantly aching in places that had her mind rushing back to last night. Her gaze settled on Týr standing near the window, the flares of the volcano outside lighting his somber features.
As if sensing she was awake, he turned, giving her a stunning view of his naked, muscled body. He crossed to the bed, lifted the cover, and slipped in beside her. “I thought I’d tired you out and you’d sleep the hours away,” he teased.
She wrinkled her nose and sighed in contentment as his warm, callused palm slid down her back to settle on her bottom. “Gran—!” She shot up. “She’ll be freakin’ out if she called and-and—”
“It’s all good,” he said, stopping her frantic speech. “She knows you’re with me, at a safe place ‘cause of the danger after us. I sent her a text soon after you disappeared, didn’t want her to worry.”
“Thank you,” she whispered, relieved. “My phone doesn’t work here and I couldn’t call you or her…” She settled back on his chest again. “Týr, do the Guardians know that you’re here in the Dark Realm?” she asked, tracing the mystical sword inked on his thick biceps and trying to ignore the fingers stroking her one butt cheek.
“You are my mate. Only a fool would believe I wouldn’t come after you.”
A smile bowed her mouth at his curt response. “I know it’s only been a day or so since I got here…”
“Try a week.”
“On Earth? So long?” she gulped, staring at him in shock.
“Yeah, time moves slower in this place.
Okay, she didn’t know that. Worry took hold. “Will Michael be mad at you or kick you out of your job for being away so long?”
“Mad?” Wry laughter. “Countless times. He probably wishes he could throw me out, but no. My allegiance is to Gaia.” He stared at the ceiling, and the distracting hand caressing her slowed. “The job is satisfying—”
“What? Killing demons?”
He pinched her butt, and she jerked, glaring at him. He smiled. “Yes, to slaying all thoseevilfuckers and demoniis.” In a move too fast to grasp, he had her under him again. “Now that I have you, all’s good. What more could I ask for?”
Those shadows in your eyes, and the pain I feel inside you gone.That’s what. But she didn’t say it aloud. Last night while they’d made love, as amazing as it had been, there had been a shade of wariness in him, one that she didn’t understand and wanted so badly to ask him about.
A brighter gray light, probably what constituted morning in this world, seeped into the bedroom as Týr lowered his head and put his mouth on hers. Her arms slipped around him, and she kissed him back—morning! Oh, crap. She hastily pulled away. “Týr, wait-wait, let me up.”
“Why?”
“Because I have to get dressed.” She scrambled out from under him and off the bed—aware she’d only gotten free becausehe’dlet her go—and dashed to the walk-in closet. She grabbed underwear and a deep-blue dress from the clothes there.
“What’s gotten you so worked up?” he demanded as she changed. “I don’t sense anyone approaching.”
She glanced at him, trying to button the back of her fitted dress. Like a huge, golden cat uncoiling, Týr sat up, shoving a pillow behind him, a brow arched at her. The sheet slid to his waist, revealing miles of golden skin and abs. God, the man was wicked temptation. It took every bit of willpower she possessed not to pounce on him, which would be entirely his fault. But that would just encourage him to remain where he was.
“You haven’t answered me, Kira. Why?”
“Because my family will be coming soon to escort me to breakfast.” She crossed to him. “And you really, really don’t want my father or brother seeing us like this—”
She froze, the blood draining from her head. They were demons. And Týr killed demons.
“You forget, I’ll know if anyone comes,” he drawled. “And I did shield my abilities and presence…”
Okay, good. But nerves tied her stomach into troubling little knots. “Týr…” She stopped near the bed, hating that she had to do this. “I need you to leave.”
“No.”
An absolute and equivocal response, and one that didn’t surprise her. “Only for a short while, please. If they see you, it won’t end well. I don’t want anything to happen to you. You kill their kind for godsakes! At least let me speak to them first.”
Now that she’d met her family, she didn’t want anything to happen, even if she still thought her father an emotionless ice block.
Týr swung his feet to the floor, the sheet still sadly draped over his lap. “I’m not leaving, Kira. If I do, you’re coming with me.”
