Blaze (Dark in You 2)

Before she and Knox had even reached the top step, a tall male with graying hair opened the door and gave them a polite smile. “Mr. Thorne, Miss Wallis, welcome home.”

“Hey, Dan,” she said as she stepped into the marble foyer, where freshly cut flowers sat on a circular table.

Knox threaded his fingers through hers. “Come on.”

He didn’t lead her into the living area as she’d expected. Instead, he tugged her along the wide hallway and up the curved staircase. “You intend to have your wicked way with me already? We’ve only just walked through the door.”

Mouth curving, he said, “That will come later.”

He urged her into the lavish bedroom and along what she’d learned was rare, imported flooring. The room always seemed to smell of clean linen, Knox’s cologne, and fragrant oils. It was as lush as the rest of the house with its quality wooden furnishings, super-soft bedding, electronic shades, and balcony. Well, Harper didn’t really think “balcony” was the right word for what was more like a grand patio, complete with a small pool.

He led her into the private steamy bathroom. Her jasmine-scented candles had been lit and a glass of wine was waiting near the large circular, black-granite bath. And she knew he’d sent Meg, the housekeeper, a telepathic request to run her a bath. He did stuff like that a lot; took care of her in whatever ways he could. Since Harper was a self-sufficient person who had mostly raised herself, she didn’t quite know what to do with that yet.

“You need to get out of those damp clothes and warm your bones.” Knox kissed her. “I’ll be back soon. I have some work to do.” In truth, it was something that could wait, but Knox sensed she needed some time alone to assimilate everything. If he thought she’d talk to him, he’d ask her what was bothering her fascinating mind, but he’d quickly learned that his mate took time to think things through before she confided in anyone. “Relax and I’ll see you in a while.”

Harper hugged him. “Thank you for this,” she said a little awkwardly, still finding it difficult to accept… well, anything from anyone. “And thank you for getting me.” Being alone was her default zone, but it couldn’t be easy for someone as pushy and hyper-protective as Knox to not be all up in her business while she was stressing.

Hugging her just as tight, he pressed a light kiss to her neck. “I’ll always give you what you need.” She made him want to cosset her, spoil her, and surround her with whatever she wanted. Knox pulled back and squeezed her shoulders. “Enjoy.” He closed the bathroom door and left the bedroom, heading to his office.

Knox, meet me in the living area, said Levi. You should see this.

Changing directions, Knox made his way downstairs and into the spacious, high-ceiling room. Levi was sat on one of the beige half-moon sofas, fingers tapping his touch-screen cell phone. The spotlights in the walls and mahogany ceiling illuminated the reaper’s face; it was set into a mask of sheer exasperation.

“What do I need to see?” Knox asked, sitting on the other sofa.

Levi slid his cell phone across the coffee table positioned between them. “This.”

Picking up the cell, Knox tapped the play button on the screen. What appeared to be outdoor CCTV footage coming from a house opposite Crow’s showed him frantically dragging a yelling, kicking, squirming Carla to a red Toyota Corolla. He smacked her head hard on the window, knocking her unconscious, and then shoved her in the trunk. Raking a shaking hand through his hair, Crow looked in all directions, as if expecting someone to pounce at him. He then slung a suitcase onto the rear passenger seat before hopping inside the car and driving off.

As the footage ended, Knox swore under his breath. “His eyes are wild, but not black. He’s not rogue.”

“Yet,” said Levi.

“Carla sure put up a hell of a fight.” Just as Harper would have done, he thought.

“I’ve never known Crow to be violent.”

Rising, Knox moved to the fireplace, looking up at the painting hung there without really seeing it. “Don’t cancel his credit cards. Let him use them. They can help us track him.”

“I’m not sure he will use them, no matter how desperate he is for money. He’s so paranoid right now it will actually help him hide.”

“It will be hard to track him any other way, given he knows how we hunt.” In addition to being a surgeon, he’d been a member of the Force.

“He has no other properties, so I’ve no idea where he might hide.”

“He won’t go far,” said Knox, leaning against the fireplace. The mantel had once been bare. Now it was lined with Harper’s knickknacks from the years she’d spent traveling with her nomadic father. She’d added personal touches here and there to the room, giving it a homier feel. “He believes he must kill me. That means he’ll stay local.”

“There are so many cheap motels and B & Bs in Vegas, it’s not even funny.”

“Don’t send the entire Force hunting. We know there is definitely one place he’ll come: to wherever I am.” Knox used his heel to smooth a small kink out of the blue Persian rug. “He won’t try to penetrate this place when it would be so much easier for him to just walk right into one of my hotels.”

“You think that’s what he’ll do?”

“Our kind hide in plain sight, right?”

Levi grabbed his phone and stood. “I’ll send a high number of the Force on patrol around the rough areas. The other half will monitor your hotels and casinos; they’ll watch out for any sign of him.”