Kyro - A.G. Wilde Page 0,32

out of her mind.

Shive had been there. He’d been following them, and he’d been watching her.

The thought made goosebumps form on her arms.

As Kyro reached back at her door and the bell chimed, she pressed the panel along the wall and the door slid open.

“You didn’t see him did you?”

“No. He was not on the street. Not that I could see at least.”

Evren gulped, moving so Kyro could enter the room.

As the door hissed closed behind him, she brought her fingers to her lips, biting the remaining nails that were there.

“I didn’t imagine him. I’m sure I saw him. He was there the other day too.”

“What?”

“I saw him. Watching me like he was just now.”

“Why didn’t you mention this before?” Kyro was staring out at the street through her window now, his eyes narrowed and his pupils contracted with focus.

“I don’t know. I didn’t wanna stir any trouble and I was hoping he’d just go away. This is the Restitution...am I not safe here?”

Kyro’s eyes hit her so solidly, the gravity of his next words fell on her. “Evil can persist even in the noblest of organizations.”

A breath shuddered from her body.

“What do you think he wants?”

Kyro’s pupils dilated at that question so slowly, she felt herself warm underneath his gaze. “I think we both know what he wants. Many feel the pull. I saw them today. Watching you. Wanting you.” He almost spat the words as if the thought angered him. “You are a very attractive female.”

Immediately, she wanted to ask if he felt the pull too. Was he attracted to her as well? But she bit her tongue.

“Against human customary politeness, I demand to stay the night.”

Demand?

A giggle began in her throat as she regarded him.

“Well, when you say it like that...” She smiled at him.

That feeling of being completely at ease around him was returning.

“Do you accept?”

When she nodded, she tried not to show just how thrilled the prospect of him staying over just to keep her safe was making her.

She could see his shoulders visibly relax.

“Good,” he said, as if he’d expected some resistance on her end.

“Good,” she replied. There was no resistance on her end. As a matter of fact, her first order of the evening was to get him a blanket so he could be comfortable.

Tonight, she would have company—the first real company she’d had in many, many moons.

Completely platonic or not, she was going to take it in stride and accept it.

Nope.

Certainly, no resistance here.

14

Unknown transmission

“I have news, your excellence.”

“Report.”

“I have been watching the human diligently, as you requested. I have even enlisted the help of others to track her movements.”

“When can I expect her delivered?”

“Soon, your excellence. I am making arrangements for the shipment as we speak.”

A low chuckle spread over the connection, the laughter filled with sounds like bubbles popping. “I am pleased to hear this.”

“There is just one problem, your excellence.”

“Speak.”

There was hesitation on the other line.

“The Borxclan, Kyro, is suspicious of our movements. He is remaining in her quarters for the dark-period.”

There was silence on the other end from the receiver and if not for the crackle of the connection, one would have assumed the connection was broken.

“Hasten your plans. Extract the human to avoid complications. Failure will not be tolerated.”

“I understand, excellence.”

There was a pause and then a sharp crash as if something was thrown into a wall.

“Bring the human to me,” the voice grated, “or you will have to take its place.”

“Yes, sire.”

The call ended with a sharp click.

15

She’d rejected him.

Totally and completely.

And even though he had expected it, the blow hadn’t come easy.

It meant nothing, she’d said.

Why had those three words hurt so much?

He was Vorti. He’d been through more than any of his Rexu5 brothers could imagine, mutilated himself for his own preservation—the pain of which still burned along each wound where he’d had to remove his chets—he’d even endured years as a slave to the despicable Tasqals and yet...three...qrakking...words had cut him deeper than his own blade.

It meant nothing.

He knew the drink had caused her to do it.

Why else would she have placed her lips on his...tasted him...moaned against him when he’d opened his mouth to hers?

The memory of it now made him want to groan in anguish as if he had lost something precious.

But how could you lose something you didn’t have?

Sitting in her quarters as she moved around in her sleeping room, Kyro lifted her datapad from where it lay on the seat and began typing in some codes.

Qrak.

His mood was sour