Dark Flame (Flame 3)

When he awoke, he was on the floor alone, though he was covered by the bed’s comforter. Checking his internal clock once more and seeing that the sky was dark, he was stunned to find he’d slept through another entire day.

He heard masculine voices coming from the living room. He listened for a moment, then smiled. He recognized Vaughn at once, as well as another man, Fergus, who was the alpha of the Gordion pack in Savage.

He put a hand to his chest. The pain was gone. He was completely healed.

He could also smell bacon frying, an aroma that somehow lifted him straight to his feet. He was damn hungry.

He had another problem, though. Except for the bandage around his chest, he was buck naked. He unwrapped the stained cloth and tossed it in the small waste basket by the dresser.

On the bed lay a clean pair of leathers, black socks and a black tank. Even his heavy, leather boots had been cleaned up.

Next to the nightstand was his tan and black leather bag, no doubt stocked with more clothes and hopefully his shaving gear. Vaughn would have brought this from Brannick’s Crescent home.

Beneath his pants, he found his Glock and holster.

He stood there for a long moment, holding his gun, smoothing his fingers down the barrel. He’d taken out some bad guys the night before. But he knew it was a drop in the bucket compared to the force Roche had at his disposal.

Roche would be back, no question about that. But if the opportunity arose tonight, he’d do what he could to take the fae out permanently.

He wanted a shower first and didn’t care who saw him in the raw. Because of the red-flowered dress dreamglide memory, he also knew the layout of Juliet’s house. He gathered up his things and headed to the master bedroom and attached bath.

But no one was around.

He shaved first, then took a long shower. The hot water was exactly what he needed. Tonight he’d get a fresh start.

He dried off, then unfolded his leathers and slid them on. The tank followed. He was pretty sure Juliet was the one who called Vaughn and Fergus. Smart move. She knew her house needed a security detail.

Once he had his boots on and his belt threaded, he clipped on the holster. Sliding his Glock in place, he felt prepared for whatever the night would throw at him.

He left the bedroom and found Vaughn and Fergus sitting on stools at the kitchen island, eating bacon and scrambled eggs. Juliet’s house was on the small side and their big bodies took up the entire length of the counter.

A few steps more and Juliet came into view. Most of her light brown curls were caught up on top of her head with some hanging haphazardly down her back.

The sight of her tightened his chest and for a moment made it hard to breathe. He’d always thought her beautiful, but maybe having ridden so close to death made her even more so. Her dark blue eyes were rimmed with thick black lashes. Her nose was straight except for a sexy dip near the bridge. She had strong cheekbones and full lips. She looked like she could pose for a fashion magazine and then some.

There was no question he was drawn to her. Yet, he also felt a strong need to be cautious. He didn’t want a relationship with any woman, but he already felt connected to Juliet in ways he didn’t get.

At almost the same moment, lovemaking images once more flowed through his head, reminding him how intimate they’d been in the dreamglide.

She turned toward him with a coffee pot in hand, her brows raised. “You’re awake.” Her gaze fell to his chest, the point of injury. “Feeling better?”

His hand went to his chest. “Like new. Thank you.”

Her lips curved. “That door swings both ways. I owe you so much, Brannick. Roche would have had me if you hadn’t helped me escape the pull of his dreamglide.”

She poured coffee into a heavy, red mug and handed it to him.

He stood blocking the entrance to the small kitchen, his gaze glued to her as she moved around. She was cooking up another batch of scrambled eggs and had a plate ready. She wore a dark navy, sleeveless dress, loose like the others she wore, but this one seemed fuller around the skirt and went to mid-calf. She had on a pair of white sandals. She looked damn sexy.

He took a sip.

“You look a helluva lot better than two nights ago.” Vaughn had his cup to his lips.

Brannick turned toward him, frowning slightly. “You were at the canal? After the battle?”

“Emma and I came out to help. We did what we could. Though, I’ll admit, neither of us thought you’d pull through. Emma said something about you having slipped all the way to death’s door.”

He nodded, remembering Olivia talking to him and saying the same thing. “I did. I was right there. But Juliet pulled me back.”