Kiss Of Twilight (5 page)

Kara barely dodged the open palm flying at her face, and in the dodging, landed on her ass. Lucky for her, the sparring was taking place on thick tumbling mats behind the nightwalker's house. Winter couldn't curb her mate's overprotective instincts. She might be the Order's commander in this region, but Marcus was the nightwalker lord and he was bigger, stronger and bossier. Kara's jarred bones were thankful for the cushioning, but she was still going to be covered with bruises, especially if she kept at it.

Rolling to her feet she once again faced her commander, envying Winter's stamina. Not to mention her strength, agility and speed. After twenty minutes of the match, she looked like she was out for a stroll while Kara was dripping sweat. She was certain every particle of dust in the air had found and cemented itself to her skin. The summer breeze just made it worse.

"Ready to quit?" Winter taunted with a cheerful tone and matching grin.

Not in this lifetime. Kara was determined to join the Order. Winter not only knew that, but knew how determined Dupree was to see it never happened. If proving herself worthy meant getting her ass kicked every afternoon, Kara was willing to do it.

"Not yet."

The only thing she had going in these fights with Winter was that Dupree had taught them both. She might not be able to move fast enough to avoid an attack, but she could usually anticipate and block them. And bless Dupree's sneaky little heart, he'd taught her to cheat.

Winter's carefree laughter filled the air. The woman had an unnatural love of fighting. "Don't even think about it, sweetie."

Damn. It was impossible to get anything over on a telepath and Winter was one of the strongest. The gift of her demon. Kara thought she could do more than read minds with it, but she'd never been brave enough to ask. Winter did seem to have an uncanny ability to calm people, though, which Kara was sure was connected. She wondered what ability she'd get. If Dupree ever stopped blocking her petition to join the Order, that was.

Winter, in a fast move Kara should have been able to avoid, whirled around her and kicked her knee out from under her. Instead of rolling away with the momentum, Kara tried to twist closer for a counter attack. She felt a wrenching sensation and knew it was going to be a little more serious than a bruise. Kara sat down hard. The hurt was delayed, but she knew it was coming and frustration rode her hard enough that tears burned her eyes. Damn it.

"Shit," Winter muttered, kneeling beside her. "I'm sorry, Kara. How bad?"

She blew out a ragged breath. "Worse than a surface bruise, but I don't think anything's torn. And it was my fault. I wasn't paying attention and tried something beyond my skill level," she said wryly. "Dupree is gonna have a fit."

If he ever showed up. Asshole. Okay, maybe that wasn't fair. She'd pissed him off on purpose. She didn't expect him to run back to apologize. And it wasn't like he didn't have much bigger worries than her. He was second in command. Everyone in the region was depending on him to find and execute Ben.

Marcus, who'd moved into the shadows of the back porch, called out to them to haul ass inside, and she hid a grin while Winter took her hand and helped her to her feet. Marcus was nice enough, but he creeped her out a little. All the nightwalkers did. They fed off the energy of others, vampires without the blood lust. The old hybrid scrolls called them soul eaters. Kara had no idea how old he was, but she'd guess a couple centuries at least. Usually he was charming and dignified like some historical romance hero. With Winter, however, dignity was often replaced by exasperation. Kara got a great deal of entertainment watching Winter upset his stuffy, well ordered life. If Kara didn't know better, she'd think Winter did it on purpose just to get a reaction out of him. Too bad that didn't work on Dupree.

The sun was beginning to rise and she wondered if he would show up any time soon. Couldn't he feel how much she needed him? Did he just not care? Okay. That definitely wasn't fair. He cared all right. He just couldn't seem to decide if she was still a kid or a woman grown. Her mind went back to their kiss. She'd been certain everything was going to change when he'd claimed her lips so possessively. No such luck. She wasn't sure if she wanted to smack him or rip his clothes off. Of course he'd have to be around for that, she grumbled to herself and concentrated on putting him out of her mind and standing.

Once on her feet, Kara slung her arm over the commander's shoulder and slowly made her way to the door. Her leg hurt like a bitch and this time the tears she fought back were because of pain not frustration. And maybe a little wishing Dupree was around to baby her. Normally, that made her want to pull her hair out but right about now a little coddling would be just fine, thank you very much.

They entered the back door and made their way down the hall. She just wanted to get upstairs to her room and make friends with her bathtub. A hot soak would go a long way to easing the soreness. But as if thinking his name had conjured him, Dupree called her from somewhere in the house. Her heart seemed to skip a beat. He'd come back. She heard jogging steps coming down the stairs just as she, Winter and Marcus entered the large foyer. Dupree skidded to a halt at the bottom of the steps, stared at her until they started moving again, and finally seemed to realize everything was not right in her world.
What a surprise,
she thought sarcastically.

"What happened?" he snapped as he reached for her. Unfortunately, with one lame leg the transfer from Winter to Dupree was hard to pull off and a weird sort of tug of war ensued. She didn't have to be a hybrid or nightwalker to feel the tension building in the room.

"Give her to me, Winter," Dupree ground out between clenched teeth.

Winter held onto her tighter, leveling a chilly gaze on Dupree. "Maybe when you calm down."

Kara could see that just pissed him off more. His eyes flashed red and he developed a tic in his jaw. "Calm down? I left her here to keep her
safe.
I left her here so she wouldn't get hurt."

The man made her teeth ache, but Kara couldn't help the need she felt to ease his worry. She managed to balance on one leg, shrug Winter off and reach over to steady herself using Dupree's shoulder. Then she did a weird hopping move--this was going to be such a pain in the ass--so she faced him and blocked him from Winter and Marcus. He remained still, glaring over her head till she grabbed his chin and forced him to look down at her.

"I'm fine. We were just sparring. The leg will be good as new in a couple of days." He didn't respond, didn't budge, and that awful tension still built. She was pretty sure it wasn't coming from Winter either. Somehow, for some reason, this was between Dupree and Marcus. Why was she surprised? Two dominant men in a pissing contest? Who'd have thunk it?

"Dupree," she whispered, pressing her body close to his. She froze when her pelvis met his. He might still be saying
no,
but his body was saying
hell yeah.
The contact broke the weird spell that had come over the foyer. He swung her up into his arms and stepped onto the bottom rung of the stairs.

"We'll discuss this later," he said, turning to look over his shoulder at both Winter and Marcus. Winter put a restraining hand on Marcus's arm, who'd lurched forward after them, and Kara sighed. Well, shit. Dupree finally showed up and things were looking worse, not better.

She kept quiet as he moved up the stairs. On the landing, she finally spoke, "I'm on the third floor."

"I know where your room is."

His tone didn't invite conversation, but she couldn't help the tendril of excitement that curled through her. He knew where she slept. He knew what room in this mansion she called home. That had to mean something. Or absolutely nothing. She knew she could pull a hybrid name out of a hat or thin air and he could tell her everything about the person, right down to who they were sleeping with and what their favorite color was. A surprising talent in a man who strove so hard to stay emotionless. To stand apart.

On her floor she didn't have to direct him to the last room on the right. He went right in, locking it behind him, and straight through to the bathroom. She'd picked this room for the big soaking tub, and he set her on her feet then moved to turn the water on. When he had the tub plugged and the temperature the way he wanted it, he turned to her with a severe look.

"Okay, let's see it."

"Excuse me?"

He heaved a put upon sigh, reverting to the patient indulgence he'd use on a child, and she felt her temper rising. "The injury, Kara. Let me see it."

She backed up a step. It might have been more of an undignified hop, but who the hell cared? "It's fine. It's just one of those deep muscle bruises. It doesn't hurt bad enough to have torn something or anything like that."

"Are you trying to piss me off? Let me see it."

She huffed. Fine. If he wanted to go Neanderthal on her and then no doubt disappear again, she was going to get some enjoyment out of this too. She pulled her shirt off and hid her smile as he tried to look away. He might have actually pulled it off too, but she didn't delay getting her bra off. Whoa boy.
Now
she had his attention.

The sweat pants went next, followed by her panties. He seemed to have lost interest in her leg. He was totally focused on the triangle between them.

"That hurts too, but it's not injured," she quipped.

Woops. That might have been pushing too far. When he looked up to meet her gaze, his eyes were red. He gave a slight shake of his head and they went back to brown. He was back in control. She was sick and fucking tired of Dupree being in control.

"You have no idea what you're pushing for, Kara," he whispered.

How could she respond to that? Did he think she didn't know him? Didn't know how protective, how possessive, how commanding he could be? Didn't know he was killing himself fighting those instincts? The major problem was he still looked at her and, despite evidence to the contrary, saw a little girl.

She shrugged. "I think that's a choice I should be allowed to make on my own."

He just shook his head and with one large palm on her hip, contact that made her shiver, urged her to turn around. She looked over her shoulder and watched as he dropped to one knee. He lightly skimmed his palms over her flesh. His hands shook and it took her a moment to realize it was rage, not simple concern, that caused it.

"It's really not that bad, Dupree," she said, trying to make her voice calm and matter of fact.

"Bad enough."

He stood and lifted her into the bath. She hissed at the sudden heat as she sank into it. Then he rummaged in the cabinet under the sink and pulled out a small bag of healing salts. Dumping them in, he stepped away in almost the same movement. He pulled up the dainty vanity stool, sat down and watched her glumly. He looked defeated. It actually made her chest hurt.

"Look," she said, knowing her offer was going to lead to a half lived life but unable to stand seeing him like this. Sick of fighting for him when he wasn't interested in doing the same. "Just stay away from me. If it bothers you this much...stay away. Hell, I'll leave. Winter can find me a place in another region."

The change was instant. His entire body tensed up and his eyes glowed red. "You aren't going anywhere, darlin'."

She sank back in the water until it was up to her chin. The warmth felt like a welcoming cocoon. "There's not much point in both of us being miserable, is there?" she forced herself to ask.

The look on her face, resigned and resolute, combined with the pain in her eyes might kill him. The last thing Dupree wanted to do was hurt Kara. But what would hurt more? His keeping his distance or giving in to his desire to possess her? She didn't understand the depth of that desire. She didn't know that once he stepped over that line in his mind, he'd never let her go. Whether she wanted to stay or not, whether she continued to love him or not.

But God help them both, because he didn't have the strength to walk away anymore. The poisoning, the aftermath of it, had destroyed that chance. Lying in bed, weak and drained, he'd looked in Kara's eyes and knew she wanted him, knew she was his salvation if he took her. He'd also known it was only a matter of dwindling time before he gave in to the sweet temptation of her body. Her love.

She didn't deserve a monster like him in her life. He just hoped he could give her enough time to truly understand and accept what she was getting into. The irony was she had every intention of becoming the very same thing and there wasn't a damned thing he could do to stop it. Winter had already approved her petition. The edict was going to be lifted. At most he had weeks, but more likely just days, to convince her not to go through with the merging. It left him in a blind panic. He had to convince her. He couldn't risk losing her the way he'd lost Liza.

She rested her head against the rim of the tub and closed her eyes. It gave him his chance to look his fill, something he never tired of. Long fiery hair was pulled into a high ponytail. She'd used some kind of goop to tame the curls but it was only half successful. If she spent much longer in the heated, muggy bathroom, she'd be bitching it was out of control. He didn't know why she tried so hard. He loved it best wild and untamed, a fiery red inferno that framed her face.

It was her face he was most interested in now. She looked like a delicate ethereal pixie. Man, could looks be deceiving. She was tough, strong, smart, beautiful. Today she was paler than usual, though, and had black circles under her eyes. He'd have to tell Winter to lay off. Kara had taken over Gia's duties and that was the job of two people. Nadia, their historian, was helping out a little, but she had a job of her own.

"You're working too hard," he said. He knew as soon as the words came out his voice was more harsh than wise.

She didn't lift her head, but opened her eyes and arched her brows. "Says who?"

"Me." He scowled, then softened his voice. "You look tired, darlin'."

"Thanks," she said dryly. "Every woman likes to hear she looks like shit."