Awaken Me Darkly (Alien Huntress #1)(64)
Author: Gena Showalter

“My pleasure.” I relaxed into his touch.

With slow, sensual grace, he swirled a dark tendril around his finger, then glided the raven tress over his cheekbone.

“I had a vision about Atlanna. I think—I think she will soon die.”

“Die? How?”

I swallowed. “I saw her prone, lifeless body on the ground, her blood seeping away from her.” A tremor raked my spine. “My visions are never wrong.”

His voice became as gentle as a summer rain. “Perhaps we will win this war, after all.”

I should have felt tremendous joy at such a remark, but I didn’t.

Sinking into him would have been so easy. Wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him to me for a kiss would have been easier still. Yet I did neither of those things. I allowed him to offer the comfort.

His fingers cupped the back of my neck, and he did what I had not. He urged me back onto the mattress, allowing his lips to brush against mine. In the wake of such a sweet promise, I lost all sense of animosity and abandoned myself to his kiss. Gently, so gently, our tongues danced together. His tasted as pure and masculine as I remembered. His scent wrapped around me, evoking images of star-filled nights, expensive champagne, and chocolate truffles. On an achy moan, I slipped my hands under his shirt, willing to give him everything I had to give. His skin was soft velvet over hard steel.

His moan matched mine in intensity, but he tore his mouth away. His breathing labored, he said, “Lilla told me what happened. How you used your powers.”

I drew in a shaky breath, and my arms dropped back to my sides. “A.I.R. thinks you killed those men. William Steele, SullivanBay, and even the woman, Rianne Harte. They’re determined to hunt you down and execute you.” My voice hardened with authority. “I want you to leave the city.”

“How are they so sure I am guilty?”

“Your voice DNA is all over Bay’s murder scene. And the fact that you had contact with every victim doesn’t help.”

He cursed under his breath. “I did not have enough time to clean away the evidence of my presence the last time. I should never have gone, but I wanted you to see Atlanna’s cruelty for yourself.”

The doorbell sounded.

I jolted up. I knew instantly who stood outside, wanting entrance into Kyrin’s home. A.I.R. Adrenaline pumped through my blood, giving me strength. “Get up. We have to go.”

He remained casually lounged atop the mattress. “Worry not, little angel,” he said as his lips curled. “I will send them on their way.”

My hands anchored to my hips, and I leaned my face into his. Only a breath away. “I don’t know how they found you, but they can enter your home with or without your permission. The fact that they’re ringing your doorbell is only out of respect for me.”

His shoulders lifted in a shrug. “I will simply make them choose not to enter.”

Riding a wave of urgency, I latched onto his arm and jerked him to his feet. “Mind control isn’t something you can do. Remember?”

“You are right.” Still, he acted unconcerned.

“Kyrin! Work with me here.”

He clasped my forearms and leveled me a glance. “Lilla is here, Mia. She can dissuade A.I.R. from entering.”

“Oh.” Just like that, amusement replaced my apprehension. A deep, true chuckle escaped. “I never thought I’d be glad for her ability.”

“You are beautiful when you laugh. Like a goddess of love come to enchant all who gaze upon you.”

“Enough,” a female voice said from the doorway. “You are making me sick.”

Both Kyrin and I reluctantly turned away from each other and toward Lilla, the sounds of revving engines in our ears.

“I will hear your thanks now,” she said dryly. “I just saved both of you. I like roses.”

“Go play,” Kyrin said. He waved one hand through the air. “We are busy.”

“No,” I said. “Stay. We have work to do. We’re going to visit Atlanna. Tonight.”

Kyrin frowned. “You have not enough experience using your powers,” he said. “We are not ready to face her.”

“With enough pyre-guns, we’ll be ready for three intergalactic wars.” I shifted my gaze to Lilla, who still leaned casually against the doorframe. “Can we count on your help?”

“You set me free,” she answered, her expression resigned. “I owe you. And an Arcadian always pays her debts.”

I almost shook my head in surprise. These two aliens I had judged so harshly and fought so incessantly to destroy were becoming my strongest allies. That fact boggled my mind. I wanted to thank them, tell them I was sorry, and demand to know why all at once.

Kyrin sighed. “What should I do first?”

“Get a car ready,” I said. “I know where we can get weapons.” I grinned. “A.I.R. is about to make an anonymous contribution.”

Sneaking through the back door, up an elevator shaft, and into A.I.R. storage took a little over an hour. I had to dodge cameras, guards, and ID scans. Not easy, and not fun. But I did it. I pocketed several pyre-guns and daggers from agents’ lockers, and loaded myself down with top-of-the-line, state-of-the-art experimental gear from the lab. Exiting A.I.R. only required ten minutes. I just jacked the alarm in sector twelve and ran like hell.

As I turned toward the corner, five agents approached, guns drawn. I recognized three of them. They were hard, by-the-book A.I.R. If one of them tried to stop me…I knew I couldn’t kill a fellow agent, so I increased my speed. Maybe they would be too busy to notice me, a suspended officer, striding as pretty as I pleased through this secured area. Right. I didn’t know what would happen next, but I was prepared for anything. They passed by, heading toward the alarm without giving me more than a conspiratorial wave and a knowing grin.

God, I loved these people!

Once situated in Kyrin’s SUV, where both Kyrin and Lilla awaited me, I passed out weapons and said, “There’s one more thing I need.” I slipped my cell unit from my back pocket.

I rang Ghost, Kittie, and Jaxon on conference. I knew calling them was the right thing to do. They could get into places I couldn’t, and having them at my back would give me a sense of peace.

“I need your help,” I said after each man had answered.

They replied without hesitation, granting my request. Ghost even said, “I’ll do whatever I can to help prove your innocence.”