Page 97 of Stone Cold Touch

“What?”

“You’re not going to be thinking that later.”

I giggled. “You’re such an asshole.”

Roth’s laugh was lighter as he turned toward the stairs. “I kind of like you like this.”

“Maybe.” I kicked my feet in the air, giggling. “You can put me down. I can walk.”

Instead, he carried me up a set of stairs so easily it was as though I was nothing more than a feather. He went down a hall, then up another flight of steps. “You’d trip and break your neck or fall over one of our guards. Or try to pet it.”

“What guards?” I looked around the stairwell. “I don’t see anything.”

Roth didn’t say anything as he continued all the way up. An average man wouldn’t have made it fifteen floors, but he wasn’t even out of breath. When he pushed open another door, I saw something that hadn’t been there before. Sitting before his door at the end of the hallway were two dogs the size of Chihuahuas.

I squealed, clapping my hands together. “I do want to pet them! They’re so tiny!”

He sighed. “I’ve been told size doesn’t matter.”

“Someone lied to you.”

“Ah, that may be the case.” He lowered me to my feet gently, keeping an arm around me. “Do keep in mind that looks can be deceiving.”

I started to turn into him, but one of the rat dogs stood. “I could carry it in a purse, like...like one of those expensive purses.”

“I don’t think they like the sound of that.”

They didn’t. Both were now standing, ears back and growling. One barked. It sounded like a squeak.

I laughed. “What are they going to do? Bite my ankles?”

Roth pulled me closer, which was all right by me. I liked the warmth his body gave off, the way we seemed to fit together even though he towered over me. How had I not noticed that before? But I had. It was something I had forgotten or had been trying to forget, but I couldn’t make sense of the why behind it. I wanted to admit it now, scream it from the top of the building and do stuff, lots of stuff.

Teacup dogs forgotten, I twisted and placed my hands on Roth’s chest.

His dogs didn’t like that.

One let out a squeak that turned into a roar. I whirled around, stumbling aside. Growling, snarling and snapping, their bodies twisted and grew. Huge paws replaced little ones. Claws rapped the floor as they prowled forward, still growling. Their flanks were thick with muscles, their tails bushy. Snouts grew long, mouths wider and ears flattened back against matted russet hair. Their teeth jutted from their mouths, razor sharp and huge. Eyes went from doe-brown to bloodred and the smell of sulfur filled the hallway.

They were the size of bears and, in the distant part of my brain, I realized they were hellhounds.

“Holy shit,” I whispered, knowing I should be afraid, but I was still floating.

“Sit down,”Roth ordered, suddenly in front of me.“Vos mos non vulnero suus!”

In unison, they backed up and sat beside the door. Their ears were still pinned back, but they no longer looked as if they wanted to eat me. I considered this a good development.

Roth glanced over his shoulder at me. “You’re right. Size does matter. They won’t harm you. Come on.” He held out his hand.

I took it, eyeing the beasts. One smelled my leg while Roth opened the door, and the other rolled onto his back, tongue lolling out of its mouth. He swooped down, patting the hellhound’s exposed belly.

“That’s a good boy,” he cooed. “Who’s the good boy?”

“What’re their names?” I asked, leaning against the door. My head felt heavy.

He looked up, grinning. “This one is Bluebelle and that one,” he gestured at the one that smelled my leg, “is Flower.”

I made a face. “What is it with you and the movieBambi?”

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