Laurann Dohner: Something Wicked This Way Comes, Volume 2

She tossed the crosses, his plastic water weapon, and both stakes toward the window. It wasn’t easy but she pushed him onto his side, her hands sliding over his body, and found a knife hidden inside an ankle strap. He also had a pocket knife stashed in the front pocket of his shirt. She tossed those into the pile. Matty let him drop to his stomach and rose to her feet.

A quick study of her handiwork assured her the guy wouldn’t be going anywhere without someone untying him. She backed away and glanced around the room again. The desk beckoned as she approached it.

Kilt didn’t have anything personal inside the drawers, no bills stated his name, and no letterhead on his print paper. Her disappointment rose. She wanted to find out something about her mysterious, hunky neighbor, knowing she’d never get another opportunity to be inside his home. She turned to leave but something blocked the bedroom door to draw her attention.

Her mouth fell open as Kilt stepped into the room wearing just the blue plaid kilt and with a big, dangerous-looking sword gripped in his hand. His blue eyes were striking as they shifted away from the intruder and met her stare. A frown curved his firm lips but he didn’t speak. His unbraided hair had obviously just been washed, the damp strands flowing down his muscular chest to his waist. Drops of water dotted his tan skin as if he’d just jumped from the shower.

Mute, Matty gawked at the bronzed god who silently watched her. His sword lowered when she met his gaze again. His intense gaze fascinated her. It’s probably not a good idea to stare into them in case movies are right and he can control my mind. She didn’t glance away. He wouldn’t be calmly standing there watching her if he wanted to do harm. He’d have attacked already.

He tilted his head slightly, his gaze roamed down her body, and he took a step closer. “Who are you and what are you doing inside my home?”

She cleared her throat. “Um, I live across the street. I saw that dirtball park in front of your house and realized he meant to break in. I’m kind of the neighborhood watch.” Her ratty robe embarrassed her. He probably thought she was insane. “I’m not with him.”

“You tied him well. Thank you.”

She loved his husky voice and the accent was flat out hot. So was he with his handsome good looks. The danger factor actually made him sexier. A real vampire stood feet away and seemed grateful to her.

A real vampire . She resisted the urge to faint. She’d been half joking but the laugh was on her.

“I’d like to repay you. Name what you want.”

She hadn’t dated in the five years since her attack and it made her lonely. The one thing that came to mind would have been wrong to ask. She shook her head, refusing to ask him to show her what he wore under that kilt despite the curiosity she’d had since she’d laid eyes on him. Totally inappropriate and don’t go there.

“I should be going home now. I’ll leave you to deal with your intruder.”

Blaron regarded the woman, inhaling the scents inside the room. The hunter on the floor wore a cheap, offensive cologne and was stinking of sweat and fear. It nearly masked the sweeter, tempting feminine fragrances of his neighbor. He hadn’t seen her before but he believed her reason for being there. His gaze traveled down her well-worn robe, her shapely legs peeking from beneath the thigh-length material, and her bare feet. Her face intrigued him.

A scar ran down the side of her jaw, another at her temple, and at her cheek near her ear. They didn’t distract from her delicate, attractive features. Big, blue eyes stared at him with a mixture of awe and wariness. He didn’t pick up fear coming from her but her heart raced. He could hear the fast beat, tormenting him just a little.

He’d showered, oblivious to the happenings inside his home until he’d turned the water off. The noise of someone moving around the floor below had been alarming. The hunter surprised him, he’d been careful to hide his identity, but the female stunned him. He knew humans fought crime by watching their neighbors’ homes but he’d never been aware of her presence. It worried him that his senses had failed him of her surveillance.

She took a hesitant step toward him, her intent to flee, but he didn’t budge from blocking the doorway. He wasn’t allowing her to leave until he assessed the threat she posed to his safety. His study of her switched to the hunter on the floor.

A male lay on his side by the bed, his arms and feet bound at the center of his back, and his terrified gaze watched Blaron. He shifted his gaze, noticed the pile of weapons, and his mouth pressed firmly together. The male had intended to kill him. He glared at his enemy.

“Who are you?”

“I have friends,” the guy whined. “They will come, evil demon.” The guy twisted his head to shoot a murderous glare at the woman. “They’ll kill your minion too.”

Confusion made Blaron frown. “My what?”

The hunter jerked his head at the woman. “Her. Your lover who guards you while you are in your death sleep. Release me, son of Satan. It’s my duty to send you back to hell.”

He hid a wince, glanced at the woman, and knew he couldn’t just allow her to stroll out of his home. She’d seen and heard too much. “Good luck with that, hunter. You’re the one who has been caught.”

“My friends will come and they’ll kill you and that hideous bitch who feeds you. I can see why she’d sink so low as to protect a monster. She’s one too.”

Blaron noticed instantly how the woman’s features paled, she lowered her head to allow some of her curly blonde hair to drop forward to hide the worst of her scars, and her shoulders sagged a little. Anger hit him instantly that the insulting words had made her courageous spirit withdraw. Only a strong female would attack a larger male, to come to a neighbor’s defense, both of which she’d done for a stranger. He admired her for that. She was female, probably sensitive about her flaws, and he moved before he allowed his temper to cool. His bare foot nailed the rude bastard in the side.

The hunter gasped from the pain, the sharp kick knocked him against the bed, and he blacked out. The female raised her head, realized what Blaron done, and she stared at him with a mixture of amusement and finally fear.

“I detest rudeness from a guest, especially an uninvited one.” He paused. “My apologies, lass.”

She held his gaze confidently and licked her lips. The sight of her pink tongue darting out did something to his body that stunned him. His cock twitched, filled with blood, and he lowered his sword in front of him to rest the tip on the floor. The flat metal hid his response by keeping his kilt from lifting in the front.

“Five years ago I awoke to a burglar who decided to try to rape me at knifepoint. I fought, he sliced my face a few times and stabbed me.” She paused, emotional turmoil making her voice tremble. “I fought back. He ended up dying while I survived.” Her eyes glinted with pride. “I’m not so pretty anymore but I’m still breathing. I count that as a win.”

“Why did you try to save me?”

“It sucks being awoken to some jerk intent on causing harm. I’ve had that done to me. You haven’t eaten anyone on the block, I assume you’re bag-fed since you get those nifty deliveries, and we sleep during the same hours.” She hesitated. “I have a live and let live policy. I don’t care what you are as long as you’re not hurting anyone.”

Shock tore through him once again. She knew what he was or at least suspected. He could see it in her wary regard. He wondered if she figured it out after disarming the hunter from the weapons used to kill a vampire according to myth or if she’d guessed long before. She knew about the blood deliveries to his home from what she’d mentioned and had taken note of the fact that he hadn’t fed on anyone on the block. Yet she still came to my aid . It made his cock stir more, the blood he’d drunk before his shower flowing there, and he wondered how vampire-friendly she would be if she guessed how attracted he was to her.