nostrils when she noted the obstruction.
Then she met his gaze, unafraid.
Her boldness made him yearn.
And burn. He didn’t doubt that his gaze brightened, that the hunger she awakened was clear.
“I’ll scream,” she said softly. “We have a very active residents’ association. I’m sure there are half a dozen people already wondering who you are and why you’re here.”
Rafferty smiled and braced his hand on the doorframe. He leaned closer, taking a breath of her scent and watching her eyes darken ever so slightly.
“I’ll shift,” he replied quietly. “Then you’ll have even more to explain.”
Her eyes widened an increment. “You wouldn’t.”
Rafferty let his smile broaden. The eclipse was close, close enough that it was easy to let the shimmer slide through his body. He knew he started to shine blue around his perimeter, a sure sign of a pending shift.
Evidently she also understood what it meant.
Unfortunately, giving rein to the dragon within only increased his desire to a fever pitch. He wanted her enough to do anything to possess her.
Where was his temperance on this night?
“All right.” She spoke tersely and turned back to the foyer. “I’ll get it.”
He made to step after her, but she held up a hand.
“Be serious. You’re not coming in.” Her glance was fierce, an interesting fact given that she knew what he was.
What he could become.
What kind of a woman defied a dragon of unknown intentions? No. She knew his intentions. She’d read them in his eyes. And she knew exactly what he was. Rafferty was intrigued again by her confidence, just when he didn’t want to be.
“So inhospitable, after I saved your hide,” he whispered.
She eyed him for an endless moment, then stepped back, letting him into the foyer. “That’s fair. But not one step farther.”
Rafferty smiled but played by her rules. He knew he could destroy the house if necessary, follow her anywhere, hunt down the camera himself, if she tried to trick him.
He was content—more or less—to wait.
And simmer. He heard her catch her breath, felt her heart leap, and knew she was as aware of him as he was of her.
Even knowing what he was.
Interesting.
She returned almost instantly and handed him a digital camera. Rafferty turned it on and saw that the memory card was full. Something was wrong, though. Her mood and her scent didn’t match up. He considered her again, but she held his regard steadily.
“You’re giving this up pretty easily,” he noted, letting his gaze slide over her.
She blushed a little, much to his surprise, then shrugged. “I know when to not push my luck.” Rafferty arched a brow and she continued. “Seeing what I’m up against here.”
“And you still have what you wanted in the first place, anyway,” Rafferty guessed. “His book.”
Her gaze hardened instantly. “Are you friends with Montmorency?”
“No!” Rafferty couldn’t hide his disgust at the idea, even though he was aware that she was watching him closely. “We have been adversaries longer than we ever were allies.” He met her gaze. “I have no interest in defending Magnus or his property.”
“But you’re both dragons, deep down inside.” She folded her arms across her chest. “You must be the same.”
She wasn’t convinced. She wanted to hear his explanation.
“No. We are as different as two souls can be. In my kind, there is good and bad, just as in all kinds.”
“You bleed red.”
Rafferty was startled that she’d noticed. He was wary then, concerned that she would learn too much about him and the Pyr .
She was observant. He stepped back and inclined his head slightly. “That is none of your concern.” He held up the camera. “I thank you for not making this more difficult than it needed to be.”
As she watched, he popped out the memory card and crushed it to oblivion in his hand. He opened his fist, and the pieces fell to the floor, no more than a handful of black glittering
Then she met his gaze, unafraid.
Her boldness made him yearn.
And burn. He didn’t doubt that his gaze brightened, that the hunger she awakened was clear.
“I’ll scream,” she said softly. “We have a very active residents’ association. I’m sure there are half a dozen people already wondering who you are and why you’re here.”
Rafferty smiled and braced his hand on the doorframe. He leaned closer, taking a breath of her scent and watching her eyes darken ever so slightly.
“I’ll shift,” he replied quietly. “Then you’ll have even more to explain.”
Her eyes widened an increment. “You wouldn’t.”
Rafferty let his smile broaden. The eclipse was close, close enough that it was easy to let the shimmer slide through his body. He knew he started to shine blue around his perimeter, a sure sign of a pending shift.
Evidently she also understood what it meant.
Unfortunately, giving rein to the dragon within only increased his desire to a fever pitch. He wanted her enough to do anything to possess her.
Where was his temperance on this night?
“All right.” She spoke tersely and turned back to the foyer. “I’ll get it.”
He made to step after her, but she held up a hand.
“Be serious. You’re not coming in.” Her glance was fierce, an interesting fact given that she knew what he was.
What he could become.
What kind of a woman defied a dragon of unknown intentions? No. She knew his intentions. She’d read them in his eyes. And she knew exactly what he was. Rafferty was intrigued again by her confidence, just when he didn’t want to be.
“So inhospitable, after I saved your hide,” he whispered.
She eyed him for an endless moment, then stepped back, letting him into the foyer. “That’s fair. But not one step farther.”
Rafferty smiled but played by her rules. He knew he could destroy the house if necessary, follow her anywhere, hunt down the camera himself, if she tried to trick him.
He was content—more or less—to wait.
And simmer. He heard her catch her breath, felt her heart leap, and knew she was as aware of him as he was of her.
Even knowing what he was.
Interesting.
She returned almost instantly and handed him a digital camera. Rafferty turned it on and saw that the memory card was full. Something was wrong, though. Her mood and her scent didn’t match up. He considered her again, but she held his regard steadily.
“You’re giving this up pretty easily,” he noted, letting his gaze slide over her.
She blushed a little, much to his surprise, then shrugged. “I know when to not push my luck.” Rafferty arched a brow and she continued. “Seeing what I’m up against here.”
“And you still have what you wanted in the first place, anyway,” Rafferty guessed. “His book.”
Her gaze hardened instantly. “Are you friends with Montmorency?”
“No!” Rafferty couldn’t hide his disgust at the idea, even though he was aware that she was watching him closely. “We have been adversaries longer than we ever were allies.” He met her gaze. “I have no interest in defending Magnus or his property.”
“But you’re both dragons, deep down inside.” She folded her arms across her chest. “You must be the same.”
She wasn’t convinced. She wanted to hear his explanation.
“No. We are as different as two souls can be. In my kind, there is good and bad, just as in all kinds.”
“You bleed red.”
Rafferty was startled that she’d noticed. He was wary then, concerned that she would learn too much about him and the Pyr .
She was observant. He stepped back and inclined his head slightly. “That is none of your concern.” He held up the camera. “I thank you for not making this more difficult than it needed to be.”
As she watched, he popped out the memory card and crushed it to oblivion in his hand. He opened his fist, and the pieces fell to the floor, no more than a handful of black glittering
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