“He seems to have settled in,” Nik said as she approached.
“Yes, he has.” She slipped an arm around him, and they strolled back toward the castle. “He’ll be leaving for university in the fall. He wants to live on campus.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“I’m just happy I have him back. I hate that I missed out on so much of his life.”
Nik nodded, but something in his quiet manner nagged at her. She glanced at him. “What’s is it?”
“You tell me.”
She stopped and scrunched her brow. “I don’t know what you’re talking about—”
“Don’t.” His eyes went flat. “You’ve put up walls, and I can’t sense you through our soul-bond. Why?”
Dammit. “Surely, you don’t want to be bombarded by my emotions all day long?”
And that tic on his jaw started. “You need to feed.”
“I said I’m fine.” She walked off, her stomach heaving. “If I wasn’t, you’ll know because I’ll be like a rabid dog.”
He grasped her wrist, stopping her flight. “So you want to wait until the damn thing takes you under? Or starts using up your energy?”
She bit her lip, her protest scattering. “Okay, it’s starting, but I can hold out for another day or two. I’ve done it before.”
“Right.” Jaw hard, he drew her close and dematerialized them back to the castle. They reformed on the terrace of a seldom-used living room. Nik stepped back, his expression shutting down. “I’ll be in the gym.” He headed indoors.
Christ. She rubbed her burning face, her legs too shaky. Of course, he sensed her untruth.
She dropped to the sun-warmed step, a deep, abiding chill sweeping through her. She hadn’t wanted to spoil these few days of happiness, now this damn thing reared its ugly head, reminding her what the fool’s hope she’d clung to, hoping for normal.
A pained moan broke free, and she lowered her head to her raised knees, knowing it was pointless pretending. She opened her mind-link to Nik. I’m sorry. You are right. I need to feed.
Several heartbeats of silence passed.
We’ll go to the club tonight. Be ready at ten.
There was no teasing, no softness in his tone. Swallowing, Shadow wrapped her arms around her knees and shut her eyes in dread.
The massive front door stood open as Shadow made her way down the grand staircase a few minutes to ten. She tucked back the tendril escaping her topknot and stepped out onto the portico where Nik waited for her, back from his brief stint at work.
In his work gear, he appeared dark, deadly, and heart-meltingly handsome.
In comparison, she looked like someone ready for a good time in her high-heeled boots, a short black skirt, and sleeveless, high-neck top.
As she shut the door, Nik glanced over his shoulder. His unreadable ice-green stare slid down her body and up again. “Ready?”
At his detached tone and expression, a layer of her heart peeled off. She nodded.
Kira’s words haunted her. Bonded males are extremely possessive…and dangerous.
Even though he drew her close to dematerialize them, they might as well have been continents apart. He held her as if she were a stranger.
In the alley close to Club Anarchy, they reformed and made their way to the busy nightspot, bypassing the crowd. The demon bouncers cut Nik a swift glance and stepped aside.
As they entered the club, rock music vibrated off the walls, hurting her ears, but the coldness seeping off Nik was worse, like a bruise on her psyche. Normally, she could sense his emotions, his soothing warmth. Since this afternoon? Nothing.
But he’d brought her here, and that alone showed Shadow he cared enough to put his feelings aside. She found it hard to swallow at the lump forming in her throat. If the situation were reversed, she didn’t think she would handle it as well as Nik did. She’d probably fall apart.
Weakness swamped her, and she swayed slightly. His hand instantly slid to her back, giving her support. Her heart clipped hard, aware he had to step back soon. Leave her alone. Because no demon would approach her with a Guardian at her side.
“I’ll meet you back here in half an hour,” she said softly, because mind-linking was out, not with her walls up. She didn’t want him to sense when she was feeding. It was not sexual for her, she only felt warmth and relief, but still…
Nik gave a curt nod.
Inhaling deeply, Shadow briefly touched his back then made her way down the steps in her high-heeled boots, sensing Nik’s eyes boring into her, feeling as if she were going to her doom.
Chapter 28
Agony and utter possessiveness fisting him, Nik stood on the landing in the nightclub, watching his mate, his heart, having to seek out the worst of the dark species to survive. And he couldn’t do anything to aid her.
The people passing gave him a wide berth.
Hell, he was trying to be fucking strong for her, but he probably looked like the killer he was, with rage and torment seeping off him. Right now, he didn’t give a shit.
His gaze tracked Shadow as she made her way across the crowded floor to the bar. Like the time he’d first seen her here, she ordered a drink. The male next to her vacated his stool. She sat. Nik didn’t bother to tune into their conversation, watching as she waved him off.
Human.
Moments later, a demon approached.
His heart raced. Blood thundered to his head. Shadow smiled, a cocky one that always made him want to yank her close and kiss it off her tempestuous mouth. A smile she now gave to another. Nik felt as if a brick had lodged in his chest.
She glided off the stool, and the demon grinned.
They would find a dark corner, she’d rip his shirt open, touch his skin… He’d seen it the first time. The demon would slide his hand down to her ass, try to kiss her or lick her face, his arousal hiking. Fuck!
Pain lanced him like someone had forced acid down his gullet. Hands clenched the steel railing. Metal bent.
Unable to endure the torment, he strode out of the building, because if he remained, he’d go after the demon and rip him apart—kill anyone who dared approach her. Safer for the denizens that he waited outside.
Away from the stifling nightclub, he stormed down the alley, the urge to keep moving, gripping him by the throat.
Half an hour?
It felt like fucking years!
He kicked a rusty can out of his way.
A downward shift in the breeze floated a hint of sulfur to him…then a faint cry of terror.
Nik slowed his erratic pacing. Hell, yeah! A perfect fucking way to work out his fury until Shadow was done.
He flashed toward the stench of sulfur and slowed in a narrow side lane between two warehouses. Two blights had a struggling female trapped between them. One’s mouth fastened on her neck, the other had his mouth on her breast.
Not the soul-sucking scourges, but blood-fucking-demons.
Because of fuckers like these, Shadow had become what she was. An energy vampire!
His pain and anger coalesced and exploded. Nik shot forward, barreling into the two, breaking them away from the screeching female.
The woman sagged against the building, blinking at him—then at the demons whose features shifted to leathery brown with a jutting fanged jaw and back to human—in terror.