His voice was low and quiet, but filled with a masculine power that spoke to everything female inside her. And, God, she couldn’t think when he was touching her. Those leaf-green eyes captivated her too, made her remember how good it felt to be drowning in his hungry, molten stare while his body moved against hers, inside her.
She wanted to feel that pleasure again. Wanted to tell him that she would never be the same now that she knew the fire of his touch, his kiss, his passion.
With this man, she simply . . . wanted.
“I didn’t say there was nothing between us, Aric.” She shook her head, miserable for all of the longing he stirred within her. “I only wish I had the strength to tell you that.”
“Finally, honesty,” he murmured. “Was that so hard?”
It should have been. Kaya didn’t trust easily. She didn’t let people see past the wall that protected her heart, let alone allow them to breach it. Yet she never felt safer than when she was with this dangerous Breed male. She didn’t resist at all when his hand moved around the back of her neck, warm and possessive. He drew her closer, his gaze flickering with amber light as he lowered his head toward her parted lips.
At that same moment, Rafe’s deep voice sounded just outside the kitchen entry, a low murmur that Kaya couldn’t quite make out. It was followed by the soft titter of Siobhan’s giggle as the pair entered the room.
“Oh, shit,” Rafe blurted. “Are we interrupting?”
Aric’s reply was no better than a growl. “Yes.”
“--No,” Kaya answered at the same time. She slipped out of his reach and turned back to her work spread out over the table. “I was just going over the intel from the wedding and reception.”
“Ah,” Rafe said. “Getting anywhere?”
Aric’s grunt held a sardonic tone. “We were starting to, but then you showed up.”
Kaya didn’t miss the questioning look he gave his comrade as Rafe brought the shy Breedmate to one of the tall stools at the island counter, then headed over to the stove. “Siobhan’s hungry, so I told her I’d make something for her to eat.”
Aric leaned against the long counter and cocked his head, then glanced at the female. “Has he mentioned to you that he’s Breed? My man over here has never cooked a day in his life, nor tasted anything he’s made. His diet is the same as mine: human red cells only.”
“And even that’s losing its appeal lately,” Rafe said, flicking a meaningful look at Siobhan. “Anyway, I think I can manage to scramble a couple of eggs and throw in some chopped vegetables. Kaya, would you like some too?”
“No, thanks.” Unlike the other Breedmate whose flushed face and throat and dusky, heavy-lidded eyes threw off an unmistakable post-sex vibe, Kaya had no appetite for food. Her stomach had been in a knot for days--ever since Aric Chase had sauntered into her life.
She felt his gaze return to her as she busied herself with the stacks of printed photographs and the surveillance videos stored on the tablet. The mention of blood and hunger only made the heat of Aric’s stare feel more intense. Try as she might not to imagine any of the human blood Hosts he was required to feed from--especially the females--the thought of Aric sinking his fangs into the soft flesh of another’s throat sent a dark lick of curiosity through her veins.
And a profound, shocking envy.
She couldn’t have been more relieved when Rafe drew Aric’s attention away from her, even though the conversation centered on the disappointing raid on Angus Mackie and the troubling evidence they collected at his bar.
“Too bad we weren’t able to grab the son of a bitch and haul him in for interrogation,” Aric snarled. “I’d have liked to see how long Big Mack would last in front of a room full of Breed warriors before he started spilling everything he knows.”
“Not to mention a lot of his bodily fluids,” Rafe added with a smirk.
“Will all of the Order’s commanders be here tonight?” Siobhan asked in between bites of her omelet.
Rafe shook his head. “Not all. Lucan Thorne and his mate Gabrielle are coming, of course. Along with Aric’s parents, and mine.”
“Carys too,” Aric put in. “She called me as soon as she heard about the baby’s birth. She and her mate Rune are on the jet with the others. Darion Thorne’s with them as well.”
“Don’t forget Rio and his Breedmate, Dylan,” Kaya added.
Aric gave her a warm nod. “That’s right. The ceremony doesn’t start without the godparents being present.”
“As for the others,” Rafe said, “Gideon and Savannah will be holding down the fort in D.C. along with Brock and Jenna. Commander Hunter and his mate Corinne have just returned to New Orleans to deal with a Rogue outbreak in that city. Kade and Alexandra are back at the command center in Lake Tahoe for the same reason. Unfortunately, our European commanders have fires of their own to put out as well, so neither Mathias Rowan nor Lazaro Archer will be at the ceremony, either.”
“What about Tegan and Elise?” Aric asked.
Rafe shook his head, his face oddly grim. “They’re on the way to Budapest.”
“Isn’t that where Micah was sent recently? Some kind of black ops mission for the Order?”
“That’s the last we heard,” Rafe confirmed. “Apparently, there’s been a development.”
The way the warrior said that word gave Kaya the sense that it wasn’t anything good. The fact that Micah’s parents had gone after their reputably formidable warrior son only confirmed the unease she felt.
Siobhan, being civilian, seemed to miss the gravity of the conversation. “Well, even without the ones you mentioned, it sounds like quite a full guest list to me.”
“It’s too bad everyone won’t be here.” Rafe gently covered her hand with his. “Sooner or later,
