She stiffened.
The new melodic voice with its American accent was familiar.
Rose.
“It’s me, Rose. I’m sorry if Kiyo has hurt you. That wasn’t in the plan and I’m going to kick his furry ass when I see him next.”
The said furry arsehole remained impassive against the insult, but she noted a muscle ticking in his jaw that gave away his annoyance. Niamh snorted with humor.
She’d know Rose’s voice anywhere, which meant he was telling the truth. He was her new bodyguard.
“There’s no permanent damage,” she assured Rose with a sleepy breeziness. “He broke my neck a few times, but he hasn’t let the iron touch my skin, so I guess that’s something.”
“Kiyo, you’re a dead man,” Rose said, sounding impressively scary. Well, at least Niamh thought so.
Kiyo looked unperturbed.
“So … may I ask why you felt the need to have me kidnapped by a werewolf who proclaims himself my bodyguard?”
“You weren’t supposed to be kidnapped,” Rose insisted. “We sent Kiyo to watch over you. Niamh, the Blackwoods think you killed their son and daughters. I’m so sorry. It’s kind of my fault.”
“Not really.” Niamh meant it too. “Those wicked bastards had it coming, Rose. And I don’t need your help.”
“You do. Niamh, you’re not being safe. You can’t keep using your magic out in the open like this.”
“What else am I to do? I stopped receiving visions about us, about the fae-borne and the gate … so I have nothing else to do but follow the visions I do receive. That’s what I’m doing. They must mean something. They feel different from my other visions. Angrier, insistent. Important.”
“Those visions are going to get you killed. Please. Just … stay with Kiyo for a while. He’ll take you somewhere safe.”
“And if I say no?”
Rose sighed heavily. “I’m sorry but that’s not an option. I can’t leave you unprotected. We’re connected, Niamh. We owe each other. I owe you. But more than that, I can’t let you be the one to open the gate. So please, don’t fight Kiyo. Just lie low for a while.”
Exhaustion was pulling Niamh under. It was a struggle to reply. “It won’t just be for a while. We both know this is our lives forever. On the run. Hiding. This werewolf you’ve hired, he can’t protect me indefinitely.”
“He’ll protect you until he’s sure you’re in the right frame of mind to protect yourself. He’ll protect you until we’ve found a way to deal with the Blackwood Coven permanently.”
“That’s your plan?”
“It wasn’t … but Fionn and I have decided they need to be dealt with. But in a way that’s orchestrated so it doesn’t look like the fae-borne had anything to do with it. That could take awhile. So Kiyo will stay with you. Please, Niamh, tell me you’ll allow this without a fight.”
That burn of irritation swarmed Niamh’s chest. “I will if your dog will take off these damn handcuffs and get me out of this bloody awful apartment.”
“You heard her,” Rose practically snarled. “Kiyo, do it.”
“Are you sure?” Kiyo narrowed his eyes on Niamh. “I’m not convinced she’s seeing things your way.”
“Niamh Farren is the sweetest soul I’ve ever met, Kiyo, and you are so lucky I am not in that room to eviscerate you for hurting her.”
Rose’s words eased the burn somewhat in Niamh’s chest. Guilt replaced the irritation.
Kiyo glared at his phone. “I think I might have the wrong Niamh Farren, then.”
Ugh, very nice. She gave him a dark look.
“Just do it.”
“Fine.”
“And let us know when you’re on the move. We don’t need to know where … we just need to know she’s okay.”
“Fine.” He hung up.
Kiyo stood slowly and Niamh drank in his powerful body. Beneath his T-shirt and jeans were very broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs.
“You don’t like her very much, do you?” she asked.
He walked toward the mattress. “I thought you’d have mixed feelings about her, considering it was her coven who killed—”
“That wasn’t Rose’s fault.”
Thankfully, Kiyo said no more. Instead he lowered to his haunches and reached out to take hold of the leather cuffs. A small key appeared in his hand as if from nowhere and he unlocked them.
“Throw them away, please,” she begged, feeling tears of relief sting her eyes.
He frowned but did as she asked, sending them soaring to the other side of the room.
The deep lethargy began to fade from her body, although the iron walls meant it wouldn’t alleviate itself completely.
“So, what’s the decision. Really?” Kiyo asked.
They stared at one another a second, and Niamh had the alarming feeling she could drown in his big dark eyes. They should have been soulless and dull considering he had all the warmth of an icebox. But they weren’t. His eyes glittered with intelligence and determination.
Her gaze dropped to his lips. He had the most prominent cupid’s bow she’d ever seen on a man. His mouth was beautiful and tempting as hell.