“I could stand a charge.”
“Then you can have the Daimon.”
As they started to rise, a Norseman approached them. “Leaving?”
Urian nodded.
The large, burly, dark-haired man grinned. “Hey, Wulf! Over here!”
Another huge Norseman inclined his head to Urian as he brushed past. “Enough, Erik Tryggvason! By the gods, you’re too loud, brother.”
Ignoring them, Urian headed after their prey.
October 7, 1988
Urian’s head pounded from the voices that screamed louder and louder. It drummed to the point that he felt as if he were about to go insane and turn mad. Standing on the edge of a rooftop, he pressed his fingertips to his temple, tempted to step over the edge and end his suffering.
Nights like this …
It’d be real easy.
Especially the way the frigid wind whipped through his sweater and long leather coat.
Blinking fast, he shook his head and forced himself to focus. With a sigh, he jumped down the fire escape and was about to case the building when all of a sudden he almost landed on top of one of his targets.
With a startled gasp, the woman looked up, shielding her face.
Well, this wasn’t supposed to happen …
Stunned, he wasn’t sure what to say or do as he stared into a pair of dark brown eyes set into a perfectly sculpted face. Her golden-blond hair was stylishly cut and framed her features in a way that made them appear strangely elvish.
Up close, she was tiny and frail in appearance. Much younger than he’d have thought, but still a woman full grown.
And she blushed.
“Sorry! I thought I was the only one sneaking out.”
Urian scowled. “What?”
Wrinkling her nose in the most adorable fashion, she gestured up at the windows, then leaned forward to whisper. “I’m sneaking out past curfew to meet friends. Are you running from a boyfriend or husband who came home early?”
He laughed at her presumption. “Neither.”
“Oh, please don’t tell me you’re a pervert or burglar.”
“Hardly!” Although … he was here to stalk her. Now that he thought about it, it was kind of pervy. Maybe he’d spoken too soon.
“Then why are you on the fire escape?”
Shit … he needed a viable excuse. “Um. I’m testing it.”
“Testing it?”
“Yeah. I work for the city. And uh … we’re conducting a safety check to make sure they’re in working order. You know? Can’t have them faulty.”
She laughed. “You’re so full of shit!”
“What makes you think that?”
