Rampant

Now she was officially confused, and perturbed. “There’d better be a good explanation for that remark.”

He turned to face her, and she was shocked when she saw the warning in his expression. “I should have told you before now. I was just getting to it.” Frustration flitted across his eyes. “Cain is dangerous.”

She already knew that. “I’ve heard about the woman who committed suicide in London, if that’s what you mean?”

“You know about that?”

“Yes, my sister told me, but it’s Crawford I’m going to the pub with, not Cain.”

He shook his head. “They are in league, and they are dangerous people.”

“Dangerous? What do you mean dangerous?”

“They practice the craft, they are witches, but they are part of a coven without conscience.”

What? A disbelieving laugh escaped her mouth. “I’m sorry, Grayson. I am just beginning to wrap my head around the persecuted witch ghost story and the fact that she can somehow influence me…but a coven, witches, here and now?” She shook her head. “This is way far-fetched. If you’re angry about me agreeing to go to this event with Crawford, just say so.”

He frowned, confusion in his eyes. “Only because he is part of a group that embraces forbidden occult practices.”

“So now you’re saying that half the village is practicing witchcraft?” She couldn’t keep the sarcasm out of her voice. It was crazy talk, but one thing was pretty clear to her. His so-called work was his foremost concern, and he was so wrapped up in it that it was all he could think about. If he had been clever about it and said he wanted her to spend the evening with him instead, she probably would have succumbed to his charms. But now her pride was wounded, and she was not going to back down.

“Not half the village,” he said, “but a few people, yes. Listen to me, understand me.” He gave a frustrated sigh. “I’m not good at this, and I just didn’t want to dump too much information on you all at once, but you must listen to me.”

She put her hands up. “I’ve heard the rumors about Cain and the black magic business, and I don’t like the man, but I don’t believe a word of it.”

“You ought to.”

There was a threat in his voice, and she didn’t take kindly to it. “Why? I was up there at the restaurant today and I didn’t see him running around with a wand and a broomstick, all he bloody well did was shown me his art collection.” She was really annoyed now. “This is ludicrous. First of all you try to take charge of me because you wanted to get in here, then you tell me that everybody else here is dangerous. Forgive me if it’s beginning to sound a tad oppressive.”

She was beginning to think he needed his head examined.

His eyes looked wild, desperate. “I am trying to protect you.” He put his hands on her shoulders and rolled her back on the bed, leaning over her and pinning her down.

Zoë swallowed, hard, her emotions reeling. Fool, she had been a fool about him. The tension between them built ever higher.

“Zoë, they are up to something.” His expression darkened, and then faltered. “I’m not sure what it is, not yet, but I don’t want you to go.”

He didn’t have a good reason. It was about letting go his key to this house, the key to his research. She balked. “Let me go this instant. You’ve got no right to order me around or handle me like this.”

“I’m not ordering you around.” Even as he spoke he seemed to become aware of the way he was holding her down on the bed and lifted his hands free, shock in his eyes.

Fixing him with a determined stare, she spoke as firmly as she could. “I think you should leave.”

He nodded and stood up, picking up his clothes quickly and dressing.

Her heart was thundering in her chest.

“I’m sorry,” he said, when he was dressed. He didn’t look at her as he spoke, and then went to leave the room. At the doorway, he stopped. “If you go to this thing tonight, please be careful,” he added.

He just couldn’t let it go, could he?

There was steely determination in his eyes. What was that about? Thankfully, he turned and left the room.

At first, she was relieved.

The man was crazy, getting all bossy on her like that. One minute he seemed like a perfectly logical and rational academic with a bit of a wild side, and the next he was talking a pile of nonsense. And then he went an

d got all heavy-handed with her, and she just wanted out of it.