Keepers of the Flame (Trilogy Bundle) - By Melissa F. Hart Page 0,3

was a dangerous one. Strangely, the stone I was wearing as a pendant didn't give a warning like it usually did. I paused and pulled it out of the t-shirt I was wearing on top of my shorts. It sparkled brightly and looked almost alive in my hand, but that was all. How odd. With a frown, I tucked it back into my t-shirt and continued downstairs. I heard laughter coming from the kitchen and knew immediately it was Katrina. With a small smile, I walked in and stopped dead.

Katrina turned and saw me and flashed a smile at me. “Lu darling! Glad you're finally up, come meet my friend.” She gestured to her companion.

I turned reluctantly to look at him and felt a zap go through me. Honestly, I literally felt my entire body zap. I looked into his eyes and immediately forgot where I was. They were the bluest eyes I'd ever seen, but it was more than that. They were almost spellbinding and they seemed to draw me into their depths. I felt as though I was drowning in his eyes and was so grateful when Katrina's voice pulled me out.

“Luanne, this is Dylan. I've hired him to be your bodyguard.”

I'm not a shy person or anything like that. Okay, maybe I'm a little reserved, but that doesn't mean I'm shy. However, when I stared at the guy standing in Katrina's kitchen looking at me with what looked like faint disdain in his eyes, I wished I hadn't pulled my hair into a ponytail. If I had left it flowing, it could have given me something to hide behind.

“Hi Dylan,” I said quietly, averting my eyes away from the stranger. I could feel my heart beating and he made me feel defensive and I couldn't even say why. I went to the refrigerator and poured out the special drink that was created to stave off the craving I was suddenly feeling.

I stood still, the cold air from the refrigerator cooling my body. That was when Katrina's words suddenly dawned on me. I was sure I'd misheard her, I mean what other explanation could there be. As pleasantly as I could, I turned and saw two pairs of eyes looking at me. In Katrina's eyes, I could see that she was looking at me as though I should be leaping for joy. As if! As for the stranger, well I suppose I should refer to him as Dylan; I couldn't read anything in his eyes. I turned back to my grandmother with my mouth hanging open.

“Sorry, Katrina. I could almost swear I heard you say bodyguard,” I said when I could finally find my voice.

Even though my tone was pleasant enough, I guess it didn't fool her. She suddenly straightened her posture and frowned at me. “You're not gonna be difficult about this, are you?”

Me, difficult? She had practically ruined my life and she was calling me difficult? Instead, I shrugged and took a sip from the drink before speaking. “No, Aunt Katrina, I'm not gonna be difficult. Simply send him back wherever he came from and we'll pretend this never happened.” I waved a hand in the general direction of where the stranger – Dylan – was standing. Without looking at him, I sensed the change in him and everything in me went on alert. I shuffled on my legs, trying to hide my nervousness.

“Luanne, you know there's no other way. The attacks have been getting frequent and you're in no position to defend yourself. Those sporadic bursts of power you've had were pure luck or more like defense mechanisms. What's going to happen if you're outnumbered?”

I felt my chest getting tighter once again. I couldn't believe Katrina was taking that tone with me and in front of a stranger. Thanks Katrina, I thought bitterly. Let the whole world know how inept I am. “But is it too much to ask that you discussed this with me?” My voice was beginning to rise, that's how mad I was. “How could you just foist a bodyguard on me?”

“I did it for your own good, Luanne.” Katrina's voice was uncompromising. I'd never heard her this stern about anything before. Ever.

I gritted my teeth and almost stamped my feet in impatience. “For my own good! How is this for my good, Katrina? Just tell me that? Have you taken a good look at him?” I turned to stare at the, at Dylan. He was exactly what I didn't need in