Reynner had been…captured?
Chapter 8
After a grueling run through the forest, which did little to ease the remorse prowling through him, Reynner flashed back to his aerie. And barely stopped himself from scanning for Eve as he headed for the shower.
The water sluicing over his body only served to remind him of her hands on him...in his hair.
Heavens, he squeezed his eyes tight, fists braced against the rough surface of the walls. He had to stop thinking about her.
He hadn't seen her since she’d fled from him, after he’d scared the hell out of her. At the thought, his stomach hollowed out, but the exquisite taste of her lingered in his mind.
With unsteady hands, he shoved back his wet hair and left the shower, heading for his closet. He dried off then grabbed a pair of loose, white cotton pants, pulled them on, and walked out of the bedroom.
Barefoot, he ran down the wooden stairs to the lower levels and came to a dead halt in the kitchen.
Aerén slouched in a chair, staring out the windows. Instead of Eve, Lucan was there. The pain-in-the-ass mage looked up from his coffee, his pale greenish-blue eyes narrowing.
He really didn’t need Lucan’s shit right now.
Reynner opened the fridge and took out a decanter of ice water. Pouring some in a glass, he leaned against the counter and took a deep swallow.
The prince’s cold stare warned he still hadn't forgotten what happened with Eve. Reynner definitely wasn't interested in revisitingthatincident. He picked up an apple from the fruit bowl behind him and took a bite.
“You look like…shit.” Lucan's gaze skimmed over him and settled on the tattoo on his left pectoral.
Reynner fixed him with a cool stare while he chewed his fruit. “Why are you here?”
Like he didn’t know. Through the centuries, Lucan would pop into Exilum for an update on the search for the foretold one. And here he was again, just when Reynner had found Eve. He took another bite of his apple.
“What’s the plan to take the scroll now that you’ve located the mortal?” Lucan leaned back in his seat, taking a sip of his coffee.
No beating around the bush with the annoying bastard.
“We have bigger problems,” Reynner informed him. “A few nights ago in New York, I took down a small horde of demoniis,but I sensed another in the alley. One of our kind.”
Aerén shot up from his chair. His silver eyes flared in anger, his animosity toward Reynner forgotten. “Darkreans?”
“Yes. The thing is, he would have seen Eve—she took it into her head to help me fight the demoniis.” He wanted to curse again at how she’d put herself in danger.
Aerén’s jaw dropped, then his guffaw resounded through the kitchen.
“Shewanted to aidyou?” he spluttered.
At the cold look Reynner pinned him, hastily he sobered, cleared his throat. “But females don’t do that. We are supposed to be their protectors.”
“Not in her world.” Reynner’s gut knotted, the apple a solid lump in his belly. He’d never forget his fear when the demonii had flashed to her. “I had to bring her here. We can’t take chances leaving her unprotected with those damn Darkreans lurking about.”
“Did you speak to her? Explain what’s going on?” Lucan asked him.
Reynner shook his head. “No. Not yet.”
Hell, he still had to mend fences with Eve. If she told him to take a flying leap off the mountains sans wings, yeah, he couldn’t blame her. Except it wasn't an option until she awakened the scroll and found the missing Stone. Maybe then he’d oblige her.
***
Eve smoothed her palms down her freshly laundered dress, grateful that Izzeri had seen to her things. At least she had on underwear again.
She raked her shaky fingers through hair still damp from her shower, drew in a deep breath, and tried to calm her frayed nerves.
