Bound to Shadows

"Then go. We'll have the coffee waiting when you finished."

I leaned forward, dropped a kiss on his cheek, then headed for the bathroom. An hour later, feeling a whole lot cleaner but actually no wiser, I twisted around in front of the mirror, trying to look at the wound the vampire had given me. Though it was already healing, it was going to leave a nasty mark. Give me another year in this job, and I probably wouldn't have any unscarred skin left.

Yet short of leaving the job—an option I didn't have—there wasn't anything I could do about it. The more I fought bad guys, the more things would go wrong. And one of these days, that wrong would mean death.

Which was a good reason to say yes to Liander's and Rhoan's request. At least part of me would live on.

But then, there were also people out there who'd be more than willing to use any offspring as a pawn against me. Hell, Kye was showing no qualms about using Liander and Rhoan's safety as a means to secure my obedience, and he was my damn soul mate.

I blew out a frustrated breath then tossed my towel in the laundry basket, collected my coffee, and then walked into my bedroom and climbed between the sheets.

Once again, my sleep was uneasy, but this time the mix of worry and desire blossomed into unbridled pleasure. This time, the dreams were sharp and real rather than just restless sensations. I dreamed of being caressed and kissed, of hands sliding and teasing, of heated flesh pressing against mine, taking me, bringing me to fulfillment, again and again.

My dream lover had no face, and no smell. My dream man could have been Qui

And then it did become real.

Qui

I moaned softly, arching into his caress as I reached out sleepily and drew him closer. I kissed him, my lips soft on his as my hands began to roam the warm, hard expanse of his body.

And just like the dream, his body pressed against mine, his flesh joining mine, so heated and hard. It felt so damn good that I wanted to cry. Then the pleasure intensified and I came, as did he, my name on his lips moments before his teeth entered my neck, taking the substance that was a vital part of the act for him and giving me yet more pleasure.

As the soft haze of sated exhaustion rolled over me, he moved to one side and gathered me in his arms. I snuggled against his bare chest, breathing in the scent of him, wishing the day and the problems that would come with it would just all fade away, and let me lie here forever.

His fingers brushed the sweaty strands of hair away from my forehead, then his lips lightly took their place. "Good morning, sweetheart."

"The only good thing about this morning is your sudden appearance in my bed," I muttered, wishing I could go back to sleep.

His smile held a warmth I felt deep inside, even if I couldn't see it. "You did look as if you'd had a bitch of a night."

"Understatement of the year." I gave up on any attempt to sleep and stretched, my body pressed warmly against his. "I don't suppose there's coffee anywhere near, is there?"

"Only a mug of congealed muck I presume you forgot to drink last night. But I did put the coffee maker on before I came into the bedroom."

"What a clever vampire you are." I shifted and kissed him lightly. "You worked late."

"I wasn't working. An old friend arrived in town, and we went out for drinks."

I raised my eyebrows. "An old friend? Should I be jealous?"

"I wish you would be." Though he gri

"It revolved around sex."

He laughed. "That explains why you were so wet and ready when I climbed into bed."

I gri

"So who was your dream lover? Or is that a question that's likely to make me jealous?"

"He didn't have a face or a smell. He could have been anyone." I wrinkled my nose. "It was weird, really."

If only because I felt as if I had spent the entire night making love rather than just dreaming it. My body felt drained and lethargic—although that could have been a result of Qui

"Is there any reason why you should be dreaming about sex?" He shifted upright, his shoulder lightly pressing against mine. I could feel the sudden tension in him. It was almost as if he knew something vital had happened.

Which he probably did.

He was linked to me in much the same ways as Kye, and while the co

And there was no easy well to tell him about Kye, so I just up and said it. "Kye's back in town."

He was silent for a moment, then asked, his voice softer, "And you've seen him?"

"Seen him, yes. Had sex with him, no."

He glanced at me, his dark gaze exploring my features, as if searching for a lie. "But you will."

It wasn't a question. "I'm trying not to, but denying my nature is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I can't promise it won't happen, Qui

He looked away. His chest moved as he breathed deep, though a vampire didn't really need air to survive. He released it slowly, a silent sigh that somehow conveyed so much tension and anguish. "I'm asking too much, aren't I?"

I reached out and clasped my hand through his. His fingers curled around mine, warm and steady. "It's the same as me asking you to restrain your urge to take blood after sex. "

"Restrain, not stop. There is a difference."

He was wrong, but I didn't bother saying it. It wasn't a point worth arguing.

"We both knew this moment would arrive eventually," he continued. "I will fight for us, but at the same time, you can't continue fight what you are. I shouldn't have ever have asked you to."

Relief swirled through me, the force of it so strong tears stung my eyes. Yet there was also frustration. Kye was going to force a relationship, I had no doubt about that. Just as I had no doubt that whenever we made love, the ties that bound us would get deeper and stronger. How could that not affect my relationship with Qui

It was an answer I would probably uncover sooner rather than later, and it was one that filled me with fear. "Qui

I wasn't entirely sure what I intended to say, and it didn't matter, because he raised a hand and pressed it against my lips. "When it happens, I don't want to know about it. And if I see him, I will beat him to a pulp."

"As long as you promise to give him a whack or two from me, I'm fine with that."

He laughed softly, then looked around at a knock at the door.

"Sorry to interrupt," Rhoan said, opening the door and peeking around it, "but Jack's on the phone. He's pissed off again. Apparently you have your phone off."

I swore softly. I'd meant to switch it back on once I'd gotten home, but I'd been so shaken by Rhoan's injury and my close encounter with Kye that it had totally slipped my mind. I kissed Qui

"I'm on my way, boss," I said, flicking on the shower taps and waiting impatiently for the hot water to appear.