But even as he stood there, the loneliness of his life settled down on him with a vengeance.
"You let your heart lead you far too often, boy. One day, it's going to lead you to ruin." He winced at his father's warning in his head. Neither of them had any idea at that time just how true those words would one day prove.
I am a Dark-Hunter.
That was what he needed to focus on. He was the only thing standing between Amanda and annihilation.
Desiderius was out there and he must stop him.
But what he really wanted to do was go downstairs, scoop Amanda up in his arms, and carry her back to his house where he could spend the entire night exploring every inch of her body with his lips, his hands. His tongue.
"I am such a fool," he snarled, forcing himself to dress in the clothes Julian had left for him.
He would think no more of her or of his past. He had a higher calling. One that couldn't be ignored.
He was a protector. And he would live and die as a protector, which meant that physical comforts such as a woman like Amanda were strictly off limits to him.
A few minutes later, dressed in Julian's jeans and a black V-neck sweater, he left the room with his leather coat over his arm, and went downstairs where Julian, Grace, Amanda, and the children were waiting.
Julian handed him a small paper sack.
"Gee," Kyrian said as he took it, "thanks, Dad. I promise to be a good boy and play nice with the other kids."
Julian laughed. "Smart-ass."
"Better than a dumb-ass." Kyrian sobered as he looked at Amanda and a burning wave of desire scorched him. What was it about her that made him unable to look at her without wanting to taste that mouth? Feel her warm body in his arms?
Kyrian cleared his throat. "Make sure she stays here until morning. The Daimons can't enter without an invitation."
"What about tomorrow night?" Grace asked.
"Desiderius should be dead by then."
Julian nodded.
Kyrian turned to leave, but before he could reach the door, Amanda stopped him with a gentle hand on his arm.
"Thank you," she said.
He inclined his head to her.
Leave . Because if he didn't, he just might yield to that demanding need inside him.
He looked past Amanda to Julian's wife. "It was nice meeting you, Grace."
"You too, Commander."
As he started out the door, Amanda caught him again and turned him about. Before he knew what she was doing, she kissed him on the cheek.
"You be careful," she whispered as she pulled away.
Stunned, he could do nothing more than blink. But what touched him most was the concern he saw in her crystal-blue eyes, the concern he felt in her heart. She really didn't want him hurt.
Desiderius is waiting.
The thought tore through his mind. He had to leave.
Yet walking away from her was the hardest thing he'd ever had to do.