Read Online Prince of Air and Darkness by Jenna Black - Free Book Online Page B

quickened for no reason she could name.
    Hunter turned his face away from the numbers, meeting her eyes. His smile became even more enigmatic. He looked like he was about to say something, but suddenly the elevator made another of its dramatic moaning sounds. The moan turned to a whine, then a metallic bang. The elevator lurched to a stop, and the lights went out.
    Kiera gasped, grabbing the railing against the elevator’s back wall. The car had gone completely black, and her skin crawled with superstitious terror. She held her breath, waiting for the emergency lighting to come on, but there was nothing. Her nerves told her the darkness hid something feral and dangerous, and she found herself pressed tightly into the corner.
    The grocery bag rustled. “Kiera?” Hunter’s voice asked. “Are you all right?”
    Her heart was now pounding in earnest, and a nervous sweat bathed her. She’d never been particularly afraid of the dark before, nor was she claustrophobic. The small part of her mind that was still rational wondered why she was reacting so dramatically to the dark, confined space. The rest of her mind just gibbered. She fumbled in her purse, trying to find her cell phone, hoping for some light, but of course the stupid thing was sitting on the charger upstairs.
    Hunter’s leather coat creaked as he moved closer, and she fought the image of a predator homing in on her.
    “Kiera?” he asked again, his voice the gentle murmur one would use with a frightened animal.
    She couldn’t gather enough moisture in her mouth to respond to him. Then, his hand touched her arm and a startled shriek escaped her. She tried to jerk her arm away, but his strong fingers closed around her and held tight.
    “Take it easy,” he soothed. “There’s nothing to worry about. I’m sure they’ll get us out of here in no time.”
    The scent of him made her dizzy, filling her senses. She drew in a shuddering breath, trying desperately to calm herself. She could feel the heat of his body, standing too close to her. His hand slid up her arm to her shoulder, and she swayed. God, she was going to pass out.
    “Sit,” Hunter commanded, pushing down on her shoulder.
    Her knees were too weak to hold her up anyway, so she slid her back along the wall of the elevator until her butt hit the floor. She bowed her head and concentrated on breathing. Hunter’s hand slid from her shoulder to her neck, powerful fingers kneading the tight muscles there. The scent of leather and spice enveloped her, and she realized he was sitting on the floor of the elevator with her.
    “There’s nothing to be afraid of,” he crooned, his voice almost hypnotic.
    Her mind screamed at her that there was . And yet her body seemed to have a will of its own. She leaned closer to him, until she felt the heat of him all along her left side. He pressed her closer into the corner, trapping her with his body. His fingers continued to dig into the muscles of her neck and shoulders, loosening the knots with consummate skill.
    “Funny, but I never would have pegged you as claustrophobic,” he said. “You seem like you wouldn’t be afraid of anything.”
    Somehow, she found her voice again. “I’m not claustrophobic. I’ve never had anything like this happen before.”
    “Is it the dark, then?”
    Damn him, he sounded amused! She realized with startling certainty that her strange reaction had nothing to do with the close space or the dark: it had to do with him . But she could hardly tell him that. She swallowed hard, the panic less now, though her heart still pounded.
    “I don’t know,” she lied. “I don’t know what’s the matter with me.” That part, at least, was true. Hunter had made her nervous from the start, but there was no logical explanation for this panicked feeling.
    “Here, why don’t we move away from the wall so I can use both hands.”
    She realized she was pressing into the hand that massaged her neck. Her cheeks flamed, and she was glad for