Energy signatures wafted up, and his gut settled. His hackles rose, and his muscles elongated. “There are too many soldiers down there.” He could feel them. Dayne hadn’t come alone, which made sense, because he was the fucking leader of all the Kurjans. And he’d been in Promise’s office, alone with her. He could’ve done anything to her. Rage filled Ivar, but he shoved it away as fast as he could. “Missy?” He used the nickname on purpose. “Get your ass into the sunlight.”
She huffed. “You might need help finding your way.”
“I can sense them. At least four of them, maybe more.” His thigh muscles bunched with the need to run down there. To fight and attack. “Get outside.”
“Four of them? You can’t take four of them by yourself.” She pulled on his arm. “The tunnels go in a lot of directions, and you might be walking into a trap. Get backup first. Even I know that.”
He shook his head. “Four is nothing. Now do as I say.”
She turned toward the outside, hesitating. “Dayne showed me a picture of his child. A cute boy.”
“He talked to you? For how long?” Ivar hadn’t been doing his job if the enemy had time to freaking have a discussion with her.
She shrugged, the color finally returning to her pretty face. “I don’t know. Ten minutes? He said there’s a rogue vampire killing physicists. Asked for my help.”
And yet she’d yelled for him. Good. She trusted him. “Go.” Ivar pushed her not so gently toward the outside door.
“He’s a single dad. Maybe you shouldn’t kill him,” she muttered, finally following his command and walking toward the door. The second sunlight filtered over her, he finally breathed easier. A little. Not much.
Oh, if he got his hands on Dayne, he’d rip the Kurjan’s head right off. “I have no doubt his kid is just as dangerous as he is—if not more.” With that, Ivar turned and leaped down the stairs, taking five at a time. He hoped to God there were soldiers to fight at the bottom.
He really needed to punch somebody.
* * * *
He hadn’t gotten to hit anybody. Hours later, after having extensively searched the tunnels, Ivar reined in his temper, absently noting that it was alive and wanted to blow. One night with the sexy professor, and he was feeling again. He wasn’t sure that was a good thing. “You okay?” he asked.
“Yes. Ronan can’t teleport, so he doesn’t make my head hurt. And Benny did at first, but not as badly as last time. I think I have it under control now.” She smiled. “My head doesn’t ache at all.” She leaned against him in the backseat of the SUV while Ronan drove with Benny in the passenger seat. Adare drove a Harley up ahead, scouting the way back to the campground before circling around and making sure they weren’t followed.
Nighttime was starting to fall, and the sun had disappeared, leaving a definite chill. A promise that winter was soon coming.
Ivar set his head back and closed his eyes, breathing deeply. The Kurjans had been familiar with the tunnels beneath the college and had escaped easily. How long had they been studying the facility? The idea that they’d been close to Promise for a while sent bile up his throat. He needed his peanuts. His fangs dropped, and he forced them back into place before she could notice. “Tell me everything Dayne said to you.” His voice was a low growl.
She sighed, grabbed his arm, and shifted her weight to straddle him.
His eyelids opened fast, and he jerked. “What in the hell are you doing?” Benny and Ronan were in the front seat, for Pete’s sake. Nobody caught him off guard—except this intellectual professor.
“Trying to get you to calm down and focus on something other than the fight you just missed.” With dusk falling outside, her eyes were a light bourbon color inside the vehicle.
Ivar angled to the side to find both of his brothers staring straight ahead. Benny’s mouth twitched almost in a smile, but irritated lines cut along the sides of Ronan’s mouth. He hated missing a good fight as well. The road remained clear ahead, and Adare zoomed by once again, scouting in every direction. Well. If she didn’t mind their audience, neither would he. Ivar planted his hands on her hips and pulled her even closer. “I’m not thinking about my missed fight any longer.” His cock pulsed in his cargo pants.