Kiss of the Night (Dark-Hunter 4)

That familiar light came into her emerald eyes. The one that challenged him and told him he didn't have any real power over her. It was one of the things he admired most in her-that fire and strong will. "You know, I'm used to getting out of impossible situations."

"And I'm used to tracking and finding Apollites and Daimons."

She arched one brow. "Are you challenging me?"

He shook his head. "I'm only stating fact. You leave and I will bring you back here. In chains if need be."

She gave him a suddenly droll look that reminded him of Chris. "Will you punish me too?"

"I think you're a little old for that. I also think you're smart enough to know how stupid it would be for you to leave here while Stryker and his men are salivating to find you again."

Cassandra hated the fact that he was right. "Can I at least call my father and tell him where I am so he won't worry?"

He pulled the cell phone off his belt and handed it to her. "You can leave it in the living room when you finish."

He turned and opened the door.

"Wulf," she said before he could leave.

He faced her.

"Thank you for saving me again when I know it must burn every part that you did so."

His look softened. "It doesn't burn every part of me, Cassandra. Only you do that."

Her jaw went slack as he left the room and closed the door behind him.

She stood dumbstruck as those words whipped through her. Who would have thought her Viking warrior could have a more tender side? But then she ought to know the truth. She had seen his heart in their dreams.

Dreams that were real. In those few precious hours, she had glimpsed the man's heart. His fears.

Things he kept guarded and secret from everyone, except for her...

"I must be out of my mind," she breathed. How could she feel any tenderness toward a man who made no bones about the fact that he killed her people?

And in the back of her mind, she wondered whether Wulf would kill her, too, if she turned Daimon.

Wulf let out a long, tired breath as he entered the living room where Chris was lounging on the couch. Just what he needed, one more person tonight who couldn't do what he'd been told.

Thor, didn't any of them have a lick of sense?

"I thought I told you to pack."

"Go pack, brush your teeth, get laid. All you do is tell me what to do." Chris flipped through the channels on the TV. "If you would look at my feet, you will see that I'm all packed and am just waiting on my next order, thank you very much."

Wulf looked down to see a black backpack in front of the couch. "That's all you're taking?"

"Yeah. I don't need much, and whatever else I need I'm sure I can buy since the Council knows that I am the charmed one who has to be humored lest the big bad Norseman go a Viking on their heads."

Wulf tossed one of the cloth sofa cushions at him. Gently.

Chris tucked the pillow behind his back and didn't respond as he continued to flip channels.

Wulf sat down on the other sofa, but his thoughts kept drifting back to the woman he'd left in his guest wing. He was so confused where she was concerned, and confusion wasn't something he had much experience with. He'd always been a basic man. If he had a problem, he eliminated it.

He couldn't eliminate Cassandra per se. Well, he could in theory, but that would be wrong. The closest he could come would be to toss her out the door and let her fend for herself or hand her off to Corbin.

But Ash had charged him with her care and he didn't believe in passing his obligations off. If Ash wanted him to watch her, there must be a reason for it. The Atlantean never did anything without a damned good reason.

"So how much does Cassandra know about us?" Chris asked.

"It appears everything. Like she said, she's an Apollite."

"Half."

"Half, whole, what's the difference?"

Chris shrugged. "The difference is I really like her. She's not snotty like most of the other rich hos in my college."

"Don't be so disrespectful, Christopher."

Chris rolled his eyes. "Sorry, I forgot how much you hate that term."

Wulf propped his head against his hand as he watched the TV. Cassandra was different. She made him feel human again. Made him remember what it was like to be normal. To feel welcomed.

Those were things he hadn't felt in a long time.

"Good grief. You two look like Village of the Sofa Damned."

Wulf leaned his head back to see Cassandra standing in the doorway. Shaking her head at them, she came forward and handed him the phone.

Chris laughed and turned the sound down. "You know, it freaks with my head to see you here in my house."

"Believe me, it freaks with my head to be here in your house."

Chris ignored her comment. "Not to mention how weird it is that you remember him when you come back into the room. I keep feeling the deep need to introduce the two of you."

Wulf's phone started playing Black Sabbath's "Iron-man." He picked it up and flipped it open. Cassandra walked over to sit near Chris while Wulf answered it.

"What is she doing here?"

Cassandra frowned at Wulf's gruff question.

"It's security calling," Chris told her.

"How do you know?"

"The song. Wulf thinks it's funny that it plays 'Iron-man' for my escorts. They live in the security house that's down the estate not far from the gate. Someone must have pulled in to the driveway and buzzed for entry."

And she thought her father was paranoid about security. "What is this place, Fort Knox?"

"No," Chris said earnestly. "You might actually break in or out of Knox. The only way out of here is with at least two guards trailing you at all times."

"You sound like you've tried to go over the wall."

"More times than you can count."

She laughed as she remembered what Wulf had told her in her room. "Wulf said it was useless."

"It is. Believe me, if there was a way out of here, I'd have found it and used it by now."

Wulf hung up and rose to his feet.

"Is it for me?" Chris asked.

"No, it's Corbin."

"She's the one with Kat?" Cassandra asked Wulf.

He nodded as he went to the front door.

Cassandra followed after him in time to see a sleek red Lotus Esprit pulling up in front of the house. The passenger door opened to show her Kat, who got out of the car and rushed up to the house.

"Hey, kid, you all right?"

Cassandra smiled. "I'm not sure."

"Why is she here?" Wulf asked Corbin as the Dark-Huntress drew near him.

The Huntress tucked her hands in her pockets as she drew closer to Wulf. "She's in Artemis's service too. Her job is to protect Cassandra, and I thought it wise to let her help you."

Wulf looked suspiciously at Kat. "I don't need any help."

Kat bristled. "Relax, Mr. Macho, I won't rain on your parade. But you do need me. I happen to know Stryker personally. I'm the only shot you have at deflecting him."

Wulf wasn't sure if he should put any faith in those words. "You said you didn't know him at the club."

"I didn't want to blow my cover, but that was before you guys separated us and I had to convince Corbin to return me to Cassandra before Stryker finds her again."

"Do you trust her?" he asked Corbin.

"About as much as I trust anyone. But she pointed out that she's been with Cassandra for five years and Cassandra ain't dead yet."

"It's true," Cassandra said. "I've trusted her implicitly all this time."

"All right," Wulf said reluctantly. He met Corbin's gaze. "Keep your phone on and I'll be in touch."

Corbin nodded, then headed back to her car.

"We haven't met formally," Kat said, holding out her hand to Wulf as Corbin drove off. "I'm Katra."

He shook her hand. "Wulf."

"Yes, I know." Kat led them into the house, back to the living room where Chris was still sitting on the sofa.

Wulf locked and bolted the door behind them.

"By the way, Wulf," Kat said as she paused by Chris's backpack. "If you're thinking of sending Christopher away in order to protect him, I'd urge you to reconsider it."

"Why?"

She indicated the TV with her thumb. "How many times have you seen the 'let's kidnap the good guy's sidekick and hold him for ransom' episode?"

Wulf snorted at that. "Trust me, no one would be able to get him free of the Squire's Council."

"Au contraire," Kat said sarcastically. "Stryker won't have a bit of a problem finding him. The minute you let him out of this house, Stryker and his Illuminati will be on him like white on snow. He'll never make it into another protected area without them having him. Literally."

"They wouldn't dare, kill him, would they?" Cassandra asked.

"No," Kat said. "That's not Stryker's style. He's into punishment and hitting people where it hurts the most. He'll send Chris back, all right. The kid just won't be intact any longer."

"Intact how?" Chris asked nervously.

Kat lowered her gaze to his groin.

Chris immediately covered himself with his hands. "Bullshit."

"Oh, no, baby doll. Stryker knows how much Wulf values your ability to procreate. It's the one thing he'd take from both of you."

"Chris," Wulf said sternly, "go to your room and lock the door."

Chris ran from the room without hesitation.

Wulf and Kat glared at each other. "If you know this Stryker so well, then how do I know you're not working for him?"

Kat snorted at that. "I don't even like him. He and I have a mutual friend who has caused us to run into each other a few times over the centuries."

"Centuries?" Cassandra asked. "As in centuries! What are you, Kat?"

Kat patted her comfortingly on the arm. "I'm sorry, Cass. I should have told you before, but was afraid you wouldn't trust me if I did. Five years ago when Stryker almost killed you, Artemis sent me in to make sure he didn't get that close to you again."

Cassandra's head swirled at the disclosure. "So you were the one who opened the portal in the club?"

She nodded. "I'm breaching nine kinds of oaths here, but the last thing I want is to see you hurt. I swear it."

Wulf moved forward. "Why all this trouble to keep her safe when she's only going to die in a few months anyway?"

Kat took a deep breath and stepped back. She looked at each of them in turn before she finally spoke. "I'm no longer here to keep her safe."

Wulf put himself between Kat and Cassandra. He tensed as if ready to do battle. "What do you mean by that?"

Kat tilted her head so that she could meet Cassandra's gaze behind Wulf's back. "I'm here now to make sure the baby she carries is born healthy."