Night's Master (Children of The Night 3)

At my touch, he deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding over my lower lip, dipping inside to taste and explore. Heat exploded through me, as if I had swallowed a piece of the sun. That quickly, I was on fire for him.

He cupped the back of my head in one hand while he lifted me onto his lap, so that I was straddling his hips. I moaned softly, scorched by the heat of his arousal. In a distant part of my mind, I remembered my mother warning me to never, ever, sit on a boy's lap. As I had only been ten or eleven at the time, I had been puzzled by her advice. The reason for her warning was blatantly obvious now.

“Kathy…” His voice was ragged as he whispered my name.

Lifting my head, I gazed into his eyes, deep black eyes that seemed to glow with a fire all their own.

“If we don't stop now,” he said in that same rough tone, “we're going to take our friendship to a whole new level.”

I stared at him, every fiber of my being urging me to take him by the hand and lead him to my bed. It was what he wanted. It was what the woman in me wanted. But a little part of me, that one tiny part that was still rational, warned me that it would be a gigantic mistake. Lust wasn't love. One night didn't mean a lifetime commitment. Once I crossed the line and let him make love to me, there would be no going back.

With a sigh of regret, I climbed off his lap, turned my back to him, and took a deep breath. Even if he hadn't been a Vampire, I wasn't about to break my vow and jump in the sack with a man I had known for only a few days. But oh, my, it was tempting.

A tingle of awareness slid down my spine, and I knew he was standing close behind me.

“You're angry.”

“No.” I turned to face him. “It was as much my idea as yours. But…” I blew out a sigh. “Things are moving a little too fast for me, that's all.”

“Still friends?” he asked with a roguish grin.

“Still friends.”

Lowering his head, he kissed me lightly on the cheek. “Good night, then.”

“Good night.”

I accompanied him to the door, then stood on the porch, thinking that he looked just as good walking away. I liked the way he moved. I liked the way his jeans clung to his long legs and lean hips. I liked his tight butt. It took all my willpower not to call him back.

He turned when he reached his car. “Like what you see?” he asked, his voice tinged with amusement. Even in the dim light, I could see the smug look on his face. “It's not too late to change your mind.”

I felt my cheeks flame with embarrassment. How had he known I was checking him out? Or that I was having second thoughts about sending him away?

I shook my head. It just wasn't fair! Not only was he sexier than any man on two legs had a right to be, but now he was reading my mind!

Chapter Eight

I was unloading a box of new paperback releases on Monday morning when Susie arrived. I was relieved to see that, for once, her boys weren't trailing at her heels. Not that I have anything against kids, it's just that her three seemed more like six. Every time they came into the store, I was afraid they were going to break something, tear something, or just drive me crazy with their constant bickering and punching. I didn't know how she stood it, day after day.

“Hi,” I said. “What brings you here so early?”

“Oh, nothing. I was just taking a walk. It's supposed to be good exercise, you know, and…did you hear anything out of the ordinary late last night?”

“I don't think so.” When Raphael was kissing me, the whole world could have blown up and I'd have been none the wiser. “Why?”

“Oh, it's probably nothing.” She smiled, but it looked forced. “Rick says I'm imagining things again.”

I came out from behind the counter. “Come on, we can sit down and talk over coffee.” I had bought a couple of cute ceramic mugs at the pottery shop. I filled a cup for her and one for myself. “So, what kinds of things are you imagining?” I asked when we were both seated.

“Well, last night I got up a little after midnight to go to the bathroom. Seems like I'm always going these days. Anyway, I heard a wolf howling, and when I looked out the window, I'm sure I saw three wolves attacking a man. Rick said I must have imagined it. He says Oak Hollow is neutral territory, so it couldn't have been Werewolves, and that wild wolves don't attack people.”

Susie stared into her coffee cup, her brow furrowed. “I went outside this morning after Rick went to work. There were signs of a struggle and what might have been dried blood on the ground. This has always been such a peaceful place….” She looked up at me, her expression troubled. “Rick doesn't believe there's anything to worry about, but…” She placed one hand on her belly. “He says it's just my hormones acting up, blowing everything out of proportion, but I'm afraid something terrible happened last night, and that it will happen again. That it might happen to us.”

“I'm sure Rick's right and there's nothing to worry about,” I said, hoping to calm Susie's fears, but in the back of my mind, I found myself thinking, what if she was right? What if the Werewolves and the Vampires no longer considered this neutral territory? If they turned this into a war zone, no one would be safe.

Susie stayed another half hour or so and then left to run some errands before she had to pick her kids up from school.

I went back to unloading the box of books—books no one would probably buy—but I couldn't stop thinking about what Susie had said. I knew there were at least fourteen Vampires in town, maybe more. Had fourteen Werewolves showed up to keep things even? Had they had some kind of scuffle last night? Was it time to pack up and leave town? I shook my head. If this remote little burg wasn't safe, no place was. As for the conflict between the Vampires and the Werewolves, I knew someone who could tell me what was going on. Unfortunately, I didn't know how to get in touch with him. And it was just as well. Being able to call him was a temptation I didn't need.

While I was shelving the books, I remembered a conversation I'd had with Raphael. I had been surprised to learn that he lived in Oak Hollow, and he had replied that someone had to stay and make sure that everyone followed the rules. At the time, it hadn't occurred to me to ask if that meant there was a full-time Werewolf in residence as well. But now that I thought about it, it seemed like a logical assumption.

To my surprise, just before noon, several moms trooped into the shop, their children in tow. They all nodded in my direction or murmured hello as they headed toward the far corner of the store where I kept the children's books.