"He eats spaghetti?"
Amanda looked up at him. "Do you?"
He cast a menacing glare at Esmeralda. "It's not as good as sucking the necks of Italians, but it's not bad."
Amanda laughed at the horrified look on her sister's face. "You better leave her alone or she might stake you while you sleep."
He took a seat at the kitchen table and cast a hot, longing stare at her body. "Personally, I'd rather stake you while we're awake."
She smiled at his double entendre as she fixed a plate of spaghetti. "I'm so glad to have you teasing me again. I was terrified I'd lost you this morning when we found you."
"How's Tabitha?"
"She's fine. They're sending her home even as we speak."
"Good." By his expression she could tell he was deeply troubled.
"What is it?" she asked as she set the microwave timer.
"Desiderius is out there and he will kill again. I can't just lie down and-"
Amanda stopped his words by placing her hand over his lips. "If you get yourself killed, what good would it do anyone?"
"It would help Nick since he would inherit all my property."
"You're not funny."
"You say that to me a lot."
She smiled tenuously. "Before you go after Desiderius again, we need to think this through. Right now, he believes you're dead, so we have one shot at surprising him."
"We?"
"I'm not going to let you fight him alone again. He threatens me and mine and I'm through sitting on the sidelines waiting for him to strike."
Kyrian reached up and cupped her face. "I don't want you hurt."
"Then teach me what I need to know to help you kick his butt."
He smiled at that. "I haven't fought with anyone else in over two thousand years."
"Well, you're never too old to learn."
He snorted. "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."
"There's no time like the present."
"Time is of the essence."
"God helps those who help themselves."
He laughed. "You're not going to let me win this, are you?"
"Nope. Now let me get you fed, then I'll show you the research I did while you were sleeping."
Kyrian watched as she dribbled cheese over his spaghetti. He'd never in his life come across a woman like her.
After Desiderius had left and he'd been waiting to die, he had spent the last moments with his eyes closed, remembering the way she looked in his bed. The way she felt in his arms.