Page 107 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Two

Medic. Wasn’t that a military term?Had he served? Donovan had been the first member of the group she’d met whenshe walked up to the main house of the Loehr’s compound, the one constructed tokeep Charley’s daughter safe. Knowing that Charley wasn’t around to contest herproclamation, Sia had pretended to be a friend of Charley’s from school. She’dtold them that Charley had asked her to keep an eye on Elwyn and offered herservices. A man named Garrett Swopes, another of Elwyn’s guardians, had hiredher on the spot as Donovan watched their interaction.

Coincidentally, Donovan was also the first of the ragtagteam she’d treated when he laid down his bike to avoid getting beheaded by atruck that had pulled out in front of him. And yet, even after all these years,she still knew so little about him.

Her phone pinged, and she read the text from Benji. Run,Sia. And believe nothing.

She sucked in a sharp breath and whirled away from Donovanto tap on her phone screen. She tried calling Benji yet again, but it wentstraight to voicemail. Before she knew it, she was rushing around the building,stumbling through dark shadows and over uneven ground. She tripped twice butmanaged to catch herself both times.

Would Charley’s barrier keep Kursch out? She just didn’tknow, and she couldn’t risk him finding Elwyn. The daughter of two gods wouldbe like heroin for a soul eater like Kursch. She would be a drug he would neverbe able to resist. And her energy was so powerfully bright, hot, and pure, hecould live off Charley’s daughter for eons.

“Doc?” Donovan called out, but she was running on fumes andblind panic. She didn’t have time to explain. She needed to put as muchdistance between herself and Elwyn as she could. Her worst nightmare must’vecome true. And that thought squeezed her chest so tightly that the edges of hervision blurred.

She’d planned for this moment for a long time. They all had.Determining what they would do if Kursch somehow managed to find them. They allhad contingency plans but thought there would be some kind of warning. A signor advance notice. How had Kursch stopped them from communicating? Prohibitedthem from alerting each other?

Not that it mattered now. Charley and her husband hadcreated a barrier over Santa Fe and the surrounding area to keep nefariousentities from entering. They’d done it to keep their daughter safe. But again,would it work on Kursch? Would the barrier keep him out?

She could only hope it would because surely Kursch would beable to sense an entity as powerful as Elwyn Loehr.

Sia scrambled into her crossover and started it just asDonovan appeared from around the building. He stepped into the low light, hisbroad shoulders tense and looking like they carried the weight of the world. Hescraped a hand through thick, black hair in desperate need of a trim as shepeeled out of the parking lot. She watched him in the rearview, worried itwould be for the last time. Then, realizing it very well could be, she slammedon the brakes, threw the car into park, and jumped outof the vehicle.

His gaze followed her as she ran up to him, and though hehad his brows drawn tightly in concern, he stood his ground, waiting to seewhat she planned. When she stopped short, he only studied her, waitingpatiently for her next move. Then he did the hair thing again, his shirtsleevestretched tight around his thick biceps. And that was her undoing.

She stepped even closer, and he dropped his hand. “In case Inever see you again.”

“Why wouldn’t you—?”

Before he could finish his sentence, she threw her armsaround his neck and planted her mouth on his.

It was her first kiss—and most likely her last. But, still,it was her first. And it was wonderful. A spark of electricity arced throughher at the contact, and she suddenly understood the popularity.

Donovan didn’t hesitate. He pulled her closer, his largehands sliding around to her back and molding her body to his. And for the firsttime since becoming human, Sia was grateful for the curves she’d inherited.They fit nicely against him as he angled his head to deepen the kiss, histongue urging her lips apart.

She parted her lips with a soft moan and pressed into himeven more. He tasted sweet and smooth, his mouth opening wider as he demandedmore of her, and she realized that he was enjoying their interaction as much asshe was.

Her phone pinged again, and it was like someone had pouredice water down the back of her blouse. She gasped and pushed away from him,covering her mouth with one hand in horror. “I am so sorry. I didn’t mean... I have to go.”

But he didn’t seem angry. And he looked more intrigued thandisappointed. “Where are you going in such a hurry?” Had his voice gottendeeper? Huskier? Sexier?

She felt warmth spread through her nether regions as herphone pinged once more. “I’m sorry,” she said again, sobering. She turned andran for the red crossover idling half in and half out of the parking lot. Thenshe looked back over her shoulder and lied. “I’ll explain later!”

She had no idea if there would be a later. Or if she wouldever see him again. But at least now she could die happy.

Chapter Three

It got awkward, and then

I made it worse somehow.

—An autobiography

Donovan watched the doctor move through her housefrom the cover of his Ford Raptor. After decades of all Harleys, all thetime, having an actual interior for these types of situations helped tokeep his spirits up.

He left the bar in the capable hands of his best friends anda sassy imp named Charley. Then he offered up a quick prayer that it wouldstill be standing when he got back. Trouble tended to follow Charley Davidsonaround like a bad habit—probably why he liked her so much.

Unfortunately, he liked the doc’s kiss more. She’d surprisedhim. They’d been at that stage of a relationship that hovered somewhere betweenprofessional acquaintances and almost-friends for fiveyears, but she’d never seemed particularly interested in him. Thus, he’d kepthis distance. And then the kiss. One that’d shaken him more than he wanted toadmit.

He rubbed his mouth unconsciously as he thought about it. Itwas like she’d never kissed a man before in her life. First, she hadn’t closedher eyes. At least, not right away. She’d kept her hazel irises trained on himas though to gauge his reaction. As if worried that he wouldn’t welcome theattention she was lavishing on him. She needn’t have been concerned. To saythat his interest bordered on thunderingwould be an understatement.

Second, she hadn’t opened her mouth. Not until he’d coaxedher to do so. She’d literally just put her lips on his and waited. Yet she’dseemed to enjoy even that much. She sank against him,her curves molding to his body so thoroughly that it’d stolen his breath.