Ahhh
. “Well, sorry, Charlie, I don’t feel like sparring anymore.” I tried out a smile, realized I couldn’t quite hack it. “Come to think of it, I don’t feel anything anymore.”
Vayl closed the distance between us so swiftly my eyes barely followed his movements. He pulled me into his arms almost violently. It was a me-Tarzan-you-Jane kind of embrace. And Jane liked it fine.
His eyes transformed as they stared into mine, changing from amethyst to emerald in a couple of dizzying seconds. “I find I do not like this new, mahghul-inspired you,” he said, running his fingers through my wet hair. He spent some time on the bit that had turned white, twining it gently around his thumb. And I let him.
Hell, if he’d wanted to give me a full-body massage I’d have hopped on the nearest table and invited him to dig in. His powers percolated at their usual level, so I knew he wasn’t using any hocus-pocus on me. But I still felt hypnotized, captivated by his touch, the fascination in his eyes and the possibilities they hid.
“I don’t like it either,” I whispered. “But I seem to be stuck with it.”
“I disagree,” Vayl replied softly. “Creatures who feed on emotions leave a void that can be filled again — over years, with a great deal of patience. Or all at once, with a strong dose of emotion. The trick is to find the proper sensation.” As he looked into my eyes, Vayl smiled. Not his regular lip twitch, which made him look more cynical than amused. Not even his full-faced, ferocious grin. This smile was new. Because it managed a sweetness I’d never seen in him before.
“Vayl?” I never got a chance to ask the question forming in my mind. It couldn’t have been that important anyway. Because the moment Vayl lowered his head, captured my lips with his, I forgot it.
I’d fantasized this kiss a few hundred times since the last time Vayl’s lips had brushed mine. And I’ve got a terrific imagination. But I still hadn’t prepared myself for the rush of desire that tore through me as Vayl’s arms tightened around me, pulling me so close I thought for a second I could feel his heart beating in my own chest.
I know, I know, it was just a kiss, right? Nobody’s ever really heard violins. The only people who’ve been blinded by passion were the ones who couldn’t see that well to start with. I’ve heard all the cliches and called them crap myself. That was before I met Matt, before I learned what a difference real love could make. But, while I knew paradise existed, I’d never really expected to visit it again.
Especially not on the wings of a single kiss.
Still, it was Vayl. Who’d brought me out of the darkness. Who’d stuck with me despite some spectacular screwups on my part. Who’d given me his ring, his trust, his innermost secrets. And who had nearly become a stranger in the course of a few days. That last bit had terrified me more than I realized. And it made our kiss all the more breathtaking. Because it meant he was back to stay.
When I finally came up for air, Vayl drew his head back and said, “How do you feel?”
Realizing for the first time that my arms were around his neck, I let them drop to his chest. His body felt so incredible, my hands just wanted to keep wandering, but I forced them to keep still. I smiled lazily. “Delicious.”
“Excellent.” He slapped me on the butt. “Now, off with you. I still have a great deal to do if I am to turn Zarsa before week’s end.”
I watched my hands curl into fists. And if I caught some chest hair in the process, tough. “What the hell did you just say?”
He chuckled. “Just checking to make sure your temper is intact.”
“Oh, believe me, it is. In fact, right at this moment, I feel perfectly capable of taking your head off!”
“Then perhaps I will just let this whole pact with Zarsa fall by the wayside.”
“You’re damn straight you will!” I was still pissed, but not so much that I didn’t catch his look of regret as he leaned over and began gathering rocks into a pile. I said, “I am sorry though. I know finding your boys means everything to you.”
He stood, let the rock he held slip from one hand to the other and back again as he watched it thoughtfully. Finally he said, “You must know that I will never give up the search. I
have
to find my sons.” He met my gaze. “But I will never again let that desire come between us. What we have . . . ” His eyes warmed to amber. “I cannot imagine losing it. Not for anything.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
I
never really pegged Vayl for a sweet talker. But damned if the words he said didn’t make me want to jump on him and smother him in smooches. I’d just taken a step toward him, watched his eyes crinkle with pleasure as he realized my plan, when Cole cleared his throat behind me.
“Jaz, I thought you’d want to know,” he said roughly, “I found the home owner.”
I turned around, my Lucille smile firmly in place. My alter ego would know how to deal with Cole without hurting him, whereas Jaz would just be blunt. Maybe even mean. “Cool! Who is he?”
“A businessman named Delir Kazimi.”
“Have you got a picture?”
“I’ll print one up for you.”
“Great. Thanks!”
Cole and Vayl traded stares. If they’d been any other species of male, the next step would have been a full-on charge. I started to shake my head.
How do I screw things up so expertly in such a short amount of time?
