other vampire.
But if that goddamned fairy didn’t take his paws off her, he was going to get Duncan’s tire iron up his ass.
The two objects of his displeasure drew away from each other, and Duncan relaxed. When he saw the sadness and fear that drew Kimber’s pouty mouth into a frown, he tensed again. He understood her concern for Aodhán’s safety. Hell, he even shared it. But he didn’t have to like it that another man’s departure could move her emotions like this.
Shit. He was so twisted up in knots over her, he could feel rage burning deep in his gut. “We need to go,” he muttered, taking hold of her elbow, his grip tighter than he meant, but he couldn’t make himself let go of her.
Aodhán lifted one brow, then the other when he looked at Duncan’s face. The fey warrior’s lips pressed together. Duncan shot him a glare, daring Aodhán to comment on the sudden and irrational possessiveness that was holding him so rigid next to Kimber.
“He’s right.” Aodhán lifted a hand in farewell. “Be careful.”
“You, too.” Natalie gave him a once over, letting her gaze linger on the large weapon in his hand. “You and your mighty sword.”
His lips twitched into a grin. He lifted a hand in silent farewell to Bishop then looked at Kimber. “I’ll be back at your place Monday morning, early afternoon at the latest.” He glanced at Duncan. “If that’s all right with you.”
Kimber frowned and tugged on her arm. When Duncan didn’t turn her loose, her face deepened into a scowl. “He doesn’t have any say, Aodhán. It’s your place, too, as long as you want it to be.”
He dipped his chin in acknowledgment and turned away. Duncan stood with the others and watched him for a few moments then he turned, urging Kimber along with the hand on her arm. “Let’s get moving.”
The rest of the journey to Maddalene’s was strangely anticlimactic. As the gates of her compound were swung open to allow them entrance, Kimber edged closer to Duncan. He caught the dark scent of her fear and put an arm around her. “You’ll be safe here, I swear.” He glanced over his shoulder at Natalie and Bishop. “All of you.”
* * *
Kimber walked alongside Duncan, tucked against his side. She should be more nervous than she was, walking into the lion’s den as it were, but with his arm heavy around her shoulders, holding her against him like she was precious cargo, she had a hard time drumming up the appropriate level of anxiety. That wasn’t to say she wasn’t afraid. She was. Because she wasn’t stupid. But Duncan made her feel safe.
Except for that one episode with Maddalene, he always had.
And he always made her want more, especially when he kissed her. She wanted more than she should, more than was possible in this new world. Every day she lived was a day closer to dying. Each time she was victorious over a zombie was one time she was closer to her luck running out.
She’d made all of her friends promise that if she was ever bitten, they’d kill her outright. She’d stared them down until they’d vowed not to wait until she turned. She didn’t want them remembering her as a ravening undead creature. They, in turn, had forced the same promise out of her.
But here, with Duncan, she wasn’t afraid of zombies, and not just because Maddalene’s compound was so secure. She wasn’t afraid because she was with him. She just couldn’t relax enough to enjoy that feeling or really delve into why she felt so safe, especially since in just a few minutes she’d be in the same room with the vampire queen herself.
As they entered the main complex—once an eight-story factory building which had been converted to office space in the nineties, then into condos around 2010—Kimber glanced around at the vampires gathered in the lobby. While she, Natalie, and Bishop weren’t as well fed as they had been six months ago before the Outbreak, they were still in much better shape than these guys seemed to
But if that goddamned fairy didn’t take his paws off her, he was going to get Duncan’s tire iron up his ass.
The two objects of his displeasure drew away from each other, and Duncan relaxed. When he saw the sadness and fear that drew Kimber’s pouty mouth into a frown, he tensed again. He understood her concern for Aodhán’s safety. Hell, he even shared it. But he didn’t have to like it that another man’s departure could move her emotions like this.
Shit. He was so twisted up in knots over her, he could feel rage burning deep in his gut. “We need to go,” he muttered, taking hold of her elbow, his grip tighter than he meant, but he couldn’t make himself let go of her.
Aodhán lifted one brow, then the other when he looked at Duncan’s face. The fey warrior’s lips pressed together. Duncan shot him a glare, daring Aodhán to comment on the sudden and irrational possessiveness that was holding him so rigid next to Kimber.
“He’s right.” Aodhán lifted a hand in farewell. “Be careful.”
“You, too.” Natalie gave him a once over, letting her gaze linger on the large weapon in his hand. “You and your mighty sword.”
His lips twitched into a grin. He lifted a hand in silent farewell to Bishop then looked at Kimber. “I’ll be back at your place Monday morning, early afternoon at the latest.” He glanced at Duncan. “If that’s all right with you.”
Kimber frowned and tugged on her arm. When Duncan didn’t turn her loose, her face deepened into a scowl. “He doesn’t have any say, Aodhán. It’s your place, too, as long as you want it to be.”
He dipped his chin in acknowledgment and turned away. Duncan stood with the others and watched him for a few moments then he turned, urging Kimber along with the hand on her arm. “Let’s get moving.”
The rest of the journey to Maddalene’s was strangely anticlimactic. As the gates of her compound were swung open to allow them entrance, Kimber edged closer to Duncan. He caught the dark scent of her fear and put an arm around her. “You’ll be safe here, I swear.” He glanced over his shoulder at Natalie and Bishop. “All of you.”
* * *
Kimber walked alongside Duncan, tucked against his side. She should be more nervous than she was, walking into the lion’s den as it were, but with his arm heavy around her shoulders, holding her against him like she was precious cargo, she had a hard time drumming up the appropriate level of anxiety. That wasn’t to say she wasn’t afraid. She was. Because she wasn’t stupid. But Duncan made her feel safe.
Except for that one episode with Maddalene, he always had.
And he always made her want more, especially when he kissed her. She wanted more than she should, more than was possible in this new world. Every day she lived was a day closer to dying. Each time she was victorious over a zombie was one time she was closer to her luck running out.
She’d made all of her friends promise that if she was ever bitten, they’d kill her outright. She’d stared them down until they’d vowed not to wait until she turned. She didn’t want them remembering her as a ravening undead creature. They, in turn, had forced the same promise out of her.
But here, with Duncan, she wasn’t afraid of zombies, and not just because Maddalene’s compound was so secure. She wasn’t afraid because she was with him. She just couldn’t relax enough to enjoy that feeling or really delve into why she felt so safe, especially since in just a few minutes she’d be in the same room with the vampire queen herself.
As they entered the main complex—once an eight-story factory building which had been converted to office space in the nineties, then into condos around 2010—Kimber glanced around at the vampires gathered in the lobby. While she, Natalie, and Bishop weren’t as well fed as they had been six months ago before the Outbreak, they were still in much better shape than these guys seemed to
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