The NightMan (3 page)

“Dorian.”
She
tamed
her
tone
to
a
seethe.

The
man
who
had
waited
for
her
the
entire
night
appeared
to
be
calm,
despite
what
the
NightMan
had
told
her.
But
she
wouldn’t
take
his
light
demeanor
as
a
fore
shadow.
She
knew
with
Dorian,
there
was
always
more
to
him
that
met
the
eye.
She
glanced
over
his
visage
and
took
note
of
anything
that
may
indicate
his
anger.
You
didn’t
want
to
be
in
his
path
of
wrath,
as
he
was
also
known
for
his
brutish
behavior.
Caitlin
had
witnessed
it
too
many
times
in
the
past,
and
feared
the
worse.

Dorian
towered
over
Caitlin
with
his
tall
statuesque
body.
He
stood
around
six
foot
–
two
and
muscular
but
not
overly
built
like
Adriel.
His
black
hair
was
combed
down
smoothly
against
his
head.
The
pronounced
widow’s
peak
showed
off
clearly
at
the
edge
of
his
hairline.
The
gold
tones
in
his
green
eyes
changed,
an
indication
that
anger
lingered
in
his
cold
heart.
He
had
waited
too
long
for
her
reply.

Dorian’s
patience
was
always
thin,
especially
when
it
came
to
Caitlin.
The
time
he
had
spent
on
her
was
more
than
he
would
have
given
anyone
else.
His
own
selfish
desire
for
her
made
him
wait
as
long
as
he
had.

The
muscles
in
his
jaw
tightened.
“I
believe
I
asked
you
a
question.”

“I
had
something
to
do,”
Caitlin
snapped.

“Usual?”
The
sandy
blond-haired
bartender
placed
a
glass
down.

“Yes
please.”
Her
soft
softened.

Dorian’s
clasped
his
hand
around
Caitlin’s
arm,
swiftly
he
turned
her
around
to
face
him.
Caitlin
immediately
jerked
away.
Her
eyes
narrowed,
sending
him
the
familiar
uninvited
warning.

“I
have
waited
for
you
all
night.
I
demand
to
know
where
you
have
been!”
He
growled,
leaning
closer
to
her
face.

“I
don’t
believe
I
can
address
your
question
properly
when
your
hand
is
squeezing
my
arm
so
tightly.”
Her
gaze
fell
to
his
fingers.

Dorian
released
a
long
sigh
as
his
fingers
fell
away
from
her
arm.
He
shoved
his
hand
through
the
black
tendrils
of
hair.

His
eyes
narrowed
as
a
hiss
slipped
through
his
teeth.
“Damn
it,
Caitlin!
Must
we
go
through
this
every
time?”

“You
have
more
than
one
woman
to
fill
your
needs.
Where
is
Alessandra?”

A
look
of
disgust
crossed
Caitlin’s
face
as
the
mere
mention
of
Alessandra‘s
name
slipped
through
her
lips.
Alessandra
was
nothing
more
than
Dorian’s
glorified
bitch.
She
was
at
his
beck
and
call
whenever
he
wanted.
Caitlin
knew
Alessandra
loved
Dorian,
and
at
the
best
a
faithful
companion.
Of
course
she
would
do
what
he
asked
of
her.
Yet,
Dorian
reserved
no
respect
for
Alessandra,
no
matter
how
she
pleased
him.

“Alessandra
is
where
she
needs
to
be.
You
on
the
other
hand…”
He
inhaled
a
quick
breath.
“Smell
like
one
of
those
beasts!
I
swear
to
you
Caitlin,
if
I
ever
find
out
you
have
submitted
yourself
to
one
of
them
I
will
kill
you
and
then
him.”

“Dorian,
you
have
no
need
to
worry.”
Her
fingers
reached
down
to
her
necklace.
Slowly
she
lifted
the
cross
in
front
of
his
face.

Dorian
grimaced
then
stepped
away
from
her,
leaving
a
substantial
amount
of
space
between
them.

That
damn
necklace,
he
cringed.
He
knew
the
necklace
was
as
pure
as
she
was.
Untouched.
It
was
his
damnation,
his
curse.
The
blood
red
vile
in
the
center
of
the
cross
was
the
blood
of
her
ancestors.
The
few
drops
of
blood
created
just
enough
of
a
protection
around
her
so
he
would
never
be
able
to
touch
her
unless
she
took
it
off.
He
knew
better
than
to
try.

The
painful
memories
from
the
first
time
he
tried
to
remove
it
from
her
still
haunted
him.
Immediately
his
hands
balled
into
fists.
One
day
he
swore,
he
would
have
someone
remove
that
damned
thing
for
him.
Even
if
it
took
him
another
one
hundred
years
he
would
find
a
way.
Caitlin
was
his
and
his
alone
to
enjoy.