Deeper than the Night - By Amanda Ashley Page 0,78
mouth with his and kissed her gently. He wanted nothing more than to lay her down on the bed and show her how much he loved her, but now was not the time. He needed to save his strength, and so he stretched out on the bed, drawing her down beside him, wrapping his body protectively around hers.
"I need to sleep, Kara. Wake me if you hear anyone coming."
She nodded. Needing to touch him, she brushed his hair back from his face, then stroked his shoulder, hoping to soothe him, to help him relax.
He watched her for a long while, his eyes heavy-lidded, and then, holding her hand in his, he closed his eyes and slept.
Kara lay there in the semi-darkness, watching him sleep, her heart hurting for the pain he had suffered. He was such a brave man. He had said he would kill Barrett if they couldn't escape. He had said it so casually, his voice indifferent, as if killing was of no import at all. As repulsive as the thought was, it was far more acceptable than the alternative of bearing a child and having Barrett take it from her, of being disposed of when she was no longer needed. More acceptable than never seeing Alex again.
She gazed up at the narrow patch of sky visible through the skylight, watching the stars as they followed their inevitable course. Which star was Alexander's? She tried to imagine what it had been like for him, being banished to an alien planet, being sent away from everything he knew and loved. It pleased her to think that he had been fated to be hers, that some higher power out in the cosmos had sent Alex to earth because he had been meant to be hers, as she was meant to be his.
"You're quite a romantic, Miss Crawford."
"Are you reading my mind again, Mr. Claybourne?"
"Guilty as charged." Alex opened his eyes and smiled at Kara. "Is that what you really think? That I was sent here because we were fated to be together?"
"It sounds kind of silly when you say it out loud."
"I don't think it sounds silly at all."
His hand cupped the back of her head and he drew her gently toward him. His kiss was feather-light, yet it singed every fiber of her being.
"How do you feel?" she asked.
"Pretty good." He glanced up at the sky. "It's a little after midnight." He smiled at her. "Give me a kiss for luck?"
"Two kisses," she said, and pressed her lips to his a long, lingering kiss that spoke of passion; a short, quick kiss that promised more to come.
Sitting up, Alex swung his legs over the edge 'of the bed.
Kara sat beside him, her heartbeat quickening. "What should I do?"
"Nothing. Try to keep your mind blank while I concentrate."
"Maybe I could help?"
He shook his head. "I'm afraid the energy from your mind would be too distracting."
"All right."
He took a deep breath, let it out in a long, slow sigh.
Kara watched his face, knew that he had shut her out of his thoughts, out of his mind. She could almost see the power gathering around him, coalescing, vibrating, as he focused every ounce of his energy on the heavy padlock that held the iron cuff in place on his left ankle.
Kara shook her head, a little frightened by the intense expression on his face. The veins in his neck bulged, the muscles in his jaw tensed, the knuckles on his fists were white and strained.
What kind of man was he? The thought skittered through her mind before she could call it back, but he seemed unaware. His expression never changed. And then, after what seemed like hours, his eyes narrowed. There was the sound of metal turning against metal. Alex bent down and opened the padlock, then removed the shackle and chain from around his ankle.
She stared at him in awe, wondering how he could remove the collar from his neck when he couldn't focus his eyes on the lock.
But, of course, he focused on the padlock that fastened the end of the chain to the bed. Moments later, he was free.
Rising, he coiled the length of chain dangling from the collar around his left hand. "Let's go."
Stark naked, with a thick collar at his throat, his long black hair framing his face, he looked like a pagan god of war.
He stared at the door; a moment later, it swung open. Alex peered up and down the hallway,then stepped into the corridor.