at me with serious, unblinking eyes. I shook my head, glancing again at the line before turning back to the two women next to me. 'Ladies, the world of the supernatural is my business. I'm a Summoner; I work for an international organization that investigates paranormal activities in an attempt to prove and explain them. I know about ghosts, poltergeists, demons, both minor and major—'
'Demons?' Roxy asked. 'You mean there are really such things as demons? Holy cow!' She turned to her friend. 'Bet you five bucks our ninth grade algebra teacher was a demon.'
Joy ignored the interruption. So did I. The feeling of doom was growing, creeping up on me, making me restless with the need to be doing something. I gnawed my lip for a moment, scanning everyone left in the book line, but without unguarding myself—something I didn't want to do with Christian sitting over there thinking who knew what—I couldn't pinpoint the source of my concern. I took a deep breath and returned to what I was saying. 'I know witches and wizards, have sat in a Wiccan circle, and seen things that would make most people pee their pants.'
'So've we,' Roxy said with a grin. Joy frowned at her.
'But I've never, ever seen a vampire. Nor have I ever heard of anyone mention seeing one. There are just some things like were-whatevers and vampires and the Loch Ness Monster that have more basis in myth than reality. I realize your friend is a bit unusual, and heaven only knows what he's told you, but I can assure you that he's not…'
The skin on my back tightened uncomfortably as my head was flooded with strong emotion. I jumped up from the table and ran toward the line of people, my leg stiff and sore and slowing me down so I didn't think I was going to make it in time. I saw the gun even before Christian did, and shouted out a warning. The bookstore employee standing next to the customer grabbed her, turning her so that the gun was pointed away from Christian… directly at me.
I tried to make my body move sideways down one of the aisles, tried to stop my headlong rush right at the madwoman who had intended to shoot Christian, but I was too slow. Her finger tightened on the trigger even as the bookstore employee struggled with her. Just before the bullet exploded through me, there was a rush of air, and suddenly I was lying on my back in an aisle between two rows of bookshelves, my breath knocked out by the heavy body lying on top of me. I blinked and stared up into the eyes peering down at me.
'You have mismatched eyes,' Christian said, almost against my lips. 'You have the Sight.'
I was suddenly filled with the overwhelming desire to tip my chin up enough to taste his mouth, but instead I pulled a hand free and felt my face. My glasses had been knocked off when I was pushed aside.
'How did you do that?' I asked, extremely aware of his body resting against mine. His hair had come loose from its ponytail, flowing around our heads like a silken curtain. 'How did you move faster than a bullet? Your name isn't really Clark Kent, is it?'
He frowned. All sorts of spots on my body started tingling, especially the parts of me that were pressed against parts of him. 'I believe a better question is how long you knew that woman was intending to shoot me?'
'Oh, my God, are you two all right?' It was Joy, standing at our feet.
'Are you implying I had something to do with that?' I ignored her question to ask him. 'Because if you are, you can just think again. In case you've forgotten, I tried to help you.'
His eyes narrowed. 'The store manager would have noticed the woman in time, even without you yelling in such a very convenient manner.'
'Christian? Allie? Are either of you hurt?'
'Oh! I like that! I go out of my way to save you—twice—and you act like it's all my fault. What an ingrate!'
'Twice? Ingrate?' His breath fanned out over my face, combining with that smooth voice to drive me nigh on mad with the desire to grab his head and kiss him despite the horrible things his delectable lips were uttering.
'You seem to be talking, so I'm going to assume you're both all right, but really, Christian, it might be better if you were to help Allie up. There's a bit of a crowd gathering.'
'Twice,' I said with emphasis, ignoring the fires starting all over my body at his touch. 'The first time was last night, when you were bleeding all over the place, making me think you were a ghost.'
'I never made you think—'
'Are they okay? What are they doing? Why is Christian lying on Allie?'
'Ha!' His eyes darkened from mahogany to ebony at my snort of disbelief. 'I'd like to know what else you'd think if you came across a man bleeding to death in the basement of a haunted inn. Which reminds me, just what
'I think they're arguing about something. Allie doesn't seem to be too happy about something Christian said.'
'Oh. It looks to me like he's going to kiss her.'
'All I am at liberty to say is that you quite successfully ruined my plan; you'll have to be content with that,' he said, looking at me for a moment. His eyes, already black as night, darkened even more; then his mouth touched mine for a brief, brief, way too brief moment before he pulled himself away from me. All of the flames his nearness had started inside my traitorous innards turned into an inferno at his feather-light kiss, which made me more than a little surprised at finding my body whole and complete, if sprawled out in an ungainly manner. Christian rose and offered me his hand.
'See? I was right. He did kiss her.'
I ignored Roxy to frown at Christian. What did he mean, I ruined his plan? What sort of a plan involved him slicing himself up and lying around in a damp basement? And come to think of it, what did he mean by saying I warned him in a convenient manner? Was he implying I was an accomplice to the woman with the gun, and just trying to make myself look innocent?
My frown turned to a red-hot glare as I ignored his hand to get (painfully and with less grace than I would have liked with an audience) to my feet. I heard a couple of familiar gasps of
'Here,' Roxy said, pushing them into my hands. 'They were at Joy's feet, but she can't bend down anymore.'
I popped them on. The world retreated to a darkened, familiar place that made me feel protected. Which is surely an odd feeling for someone who was just pushed out of the path of a fired bullet.
Joy, who had been speaking in a low voice to Christian, turned and took my hands in hers. 'Are you all right, Allie? Christian didn't hurt you?'
'I saved her life,' he protested.
'And I saved yours,' I snapped. What sort of a person did he think I was? Clearly the man had some trust issues.
'That is a subject open to debate,' he said as he brushed himself off.
The nonchalant way he treated me rubbed me the wrong way. All I can say is that the combination of pain from my leg, and a smug, arrogant man pushed me beyond what was polite and accepted in such a situation.
I put my hands on my hips and upped the wattage in my glare. 'You really are obnoxious, you know that? I can't think of one other man who wouldn't be on his knees in gratitude for having someone care enough to save him, but you have to twist it all around and make snide insinuations instead of being thankful I took the time to save your rotten life.'
'My life would have been entirely safe without your meddling,' Christian said in a low, beautiful tone that I swore I could feel slipping along my skin.
'They're arguing,' Roxy said to Joy.
'Fine,' I said, poking him in the chest. 'The next time someone tries to kill you, I'll just let them, shall I? Then I can wait until you're dead and Summon you to make your apologies. And trust me, you're going to be apologizing for a very long time!'
Christian took a step closer to me, his jaw tight. 'You are not at all the type of woman I like. You are aggressive and independent, and you seem to feel it is your right to insult me without cause.'
'They aren't supposed to be arguing, are they?'
I snapped my fingers and waved away his comments. 'As if I care what sort of woman you like. And you're damn right I'm aggressive and independent, and if the insult fits, wear it.'
