Lethal Rider

Seventeen

Kynan arrived at Than’s place within fifteen minutes of Regan’s call. He met her in the library, not bothering to say hi or sit down, although he did pause at the sight of her hellhound babysitter until she told the thing Ky was a friend. The beast still reached out with a claw and clipped Ky’s jeans as he walked by.

“I was planning on coming today before you called,” he said, shooting an annoyed glance at the hellhound. “Eidolon said you were poisoned. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. And, as you can see, I have a permanent guard.”

“Thanatos texted. Said I could bring some Guardians for you. He specifically asked for a female so you’d have someone to talk to.”

Regan’s jaw dropped. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, and it’s about time. We’ll arrange to have some brought here by tomorrow.” He handed her a plastic grocery bag. “Sorry this is hit and run, but I have to go. We’ll make sure you get some Guardians.” He nodded at the bag in her hand. “Three hundred years ago, nearly forty Guardians died to get that book, so I hope you know what you’re doing.”

“I do. And thank you again.”

Ky took off, and Regan climbed back up the stepladder to reach for the book she’d been after before Ky arrived.

“Regan! What in the nine rings of hell are you doing?” Thanatos’s roar didn’t surprise Regan, but the hellhound lying near the library door let out a startled bark.

Calmly, Regan shifted her weight on the top rung of the stepladder. “There really are nine rings of hell? I thought that was fiction.”

“It is.” Than strode into the room and got as close as he possibly could without touching her, although his hands came up to bracket her hips. “Get down. You’re going to fall and hurt yourself or the baby.”

Clutching her prize, Regan stepped down, wobbling just enough that Thanatos caught her around the hips to steady her. For a long second, they stood like that, as if they were both confused to find themselves in an almost- embrace, and weren’t sure what to do about it.

Regan cleared her throat. “Happy now?”

“No.” Thanatos’s hands lingered on her waist, and the pleasant, warm sensation that filtered through her whenever he touched her returned.

“Why does that happen?” she asked. “The warmth. It’s got something to do with the baby, doesn’t it?”

Thanatos stepped back, his cheeks pink with a hint of a blush. “Ares experiences certain effects when he’s close to his agimortus—Cara. The baby is affecting me, too.”

“The same way?”

His gaze dropped to her belly. “Similar. My armor doesn’t soften, but when I’m close, the sensation of death around the world is muted.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“Very.” His blond brows dipped together in a contemplative frown. “I hadn’t realized it, but I haven’t felt that kind of quiet since I was a boy.”

It was hard to imagine Thanatos as a child, doing normal things like playing. And laughing. But she was glad she could give him a measure of peace. “Did you have a good childhood?”

“The best.” A wistful smile curved the corners of his mouth, one that cracked his hardened, immortal warrior exterior and exposed a man with normal memories and emotions. Without thinking, she reached up and brushed the backs of her fingers across his cheek, wanting to feel the man and not the warrior.

Thanatos’s gaze caught hers, holding it with an intensity that sizzled across the surface of her skin. Desire pulsed in her veins, so easily kindled whenever he looked at her. Even when he was angry, the power emanating from him worked like an aphrodisiac on her, and she wondered if maybe the intense sexual effect was inherited from his succubus mother.

Or maybe Regan was just weird.

“When’s the last time you were happy like that?” Her voice was barely louder than a whisper, but Than flinched as if she’d yelled.

“Too long,” he said gruffly, and her heart broke for him. Somehow, she had to find a way to bring some happiness into his life.

Dropping her hand from his face, she clutched the book against her chest and pulled another book from the bag Ky had brought. Maybe this would be a start.

“I had Ky bring you this from our library.”

Than took the tome, and the moment he had it in his hands, he inhaled on a curse. “Regan. Do you … do you know what this is?”

“Well, yes. That’s why I asked for it. It’s the book you’ve been looking for. The third one in those succubus diaries.”

His gaze snapped up to hers. “This is priceless.”

“Probably more to you than to us,” she said softly. Yes, The Aegis was desperate for everything they could get when it came to historical and demonic documents, but for Thanatos, it was personal. The Aegis needed it, but Than needed it.

“I’m… I’m not sure what to say.”

“That makes two of us. Ky said you approved having some Guardians brought here.”

As if he were embarrassed to be caught doing something nice, he looked back down at the book and muttered, “Can’t hurt to have more guards.”

She didn’t bring up the fact that he’d specifically requested a female Guardian, and that wasn’t about having a guard. That was about being a decent, caring guy, and the more evidence she saw of the man behind the armor, the more she wanted to see that side of him. The more she wanted to be around it. Very little in her life had been given to her—she’d had to work for even the smallest treasures. But Thanatos wanted to give her things, like her favorite foods and an Aegis friend, and damn it, she wanted to give him a big, mushy hug.

She settled for a raspy, “Well, thank you.”

He inclined his head in a nod and then gestured to the book in her hand. “What is it?”

“A Spectator’s History of Vampires.” She ran her fingertip over the cracked leather cover. “I remembered where I’d heard the term ‘Bludrexe,’ and I wanted to confirm some things. Unfortunately, since I don’t have access to The Aegis’s library, I can’t find what I’m looking for. But I’m hoping I can find something similar in your library.”

Shadows blanketed Than’s expression. “The term isn’t in that book.”

“That’s okay. It’ll still be interesting reading, I’m sure.”

Than smiled, which made her instantly suspicious. “I can find better reading material for you.” He plucked from a shelf the Horsemen erotica book she’d read the last time she was here. “I know how much you liked this one.”

Since there was no way he was flirting with her, he was either trying to distract her from the vampire book or he was trying to embarrass her. Maybe both.

Probably both. He had a strange sense of humor. Unfortunately, she found it oddly appealing.

She returned the smile, just as sugary sweet as his was smoldering. “Thanks, but I have pregnancy hormones to keep me hot and horny at night.”

His eyes clung to her, holding her immobile. “They make you horny?” The way he said “horny,” his tone dark, deep, and slightly breathless, made said hormones dance. She wanted him. She had since the moment she laid eyes on him, but she’d mucked that all up, hadn’t she?

“And irritable,” she added quickly. “Don’t forget irritable.”

“I don’t think you’ve been that irritable, especially given everything that’s happened and the situation you’re in.” He folded his arms over his chest and leaned his hip against the desk, his booted feet crossing at the ankles. “Speaking of which, someone killed Dariq to keep him from talking. Until I find out what’s going on, I’m confining all vampires to their quarters or to the outbuildings. They’re going to sweat out their own fear, I promise you that. And they won’t get inside the keep.”