Page 114 of Smoke and Lure

Her mind recalled the kiss they shared, an ignited blaze filled her mouth, coating her tongue in a mysterious sweet heat.That taste of him stayed with her all day.

And now.

She may not know many things when it came to foods, but one beverage ingrained in her was her father’s favorite cinnamon whiskey.It held an honored spot on the top shelf in their tiny kitchen all her life.

The day the first tsunami wave struck the East Coast was her father’s birthday.Her mother had jokingly given him a liter of the whiskey reminiscent of their first meeting.Avalore’s father had packed the bottle with the things they had been able to bring underground with them.Annually, she’d watched her father allow himself only a half shot on his birthday.

When she turned eighteen, he’d poured out a full shot, the last of it, depressed that he had nothing else to give her, they shared the drink and talked about her deceased mother.

Then the liquor had gone straight to her head and made her feel off just a little, showing her that if she’d been able to have more then it would have been too potent, too strong for her not to be bowled over.

And now Liekki’s scent was that very damnable thing.Her knees quivered and she felt unsteady.

“Trust me, I have no desire to be your parent, but I’d gladly turn you over my knee if I thought a sore ass would make you listen, little lure.”The flames licking his irises were now a sapphire blue.

Avalore gasped.Not only because of his shocking words, but the heat radiating from his body that seemed to envelope her, making her skin tingle.The mental image he painted didn’t help, either.

I can’t be affected by such...such a nefarious suggestion.

She decided it was best to ignore his taunts and her response.Quickly, she ducked underneath his arm and hustled away from him.“Look.I thank you for all you and your people have done for me, but it's best if I get back on my way.”

He shifted so that he was in that damn devil may care, nonchalant pose again, his body balanced by his shoulder blades leaning back on the door with his arms folded.

“To where, Avalore?”

She threw her hand out at her side.“Anywhere.This is what I was doing when your dragon scared me into the beehive of death.So, I’ll be headed to any place that’s not here or around you.”

“I don’t foresee that happening.”

“Well, you’ll see when my ass is walking out the door at first light.”Avalore pivoted and marched out of the kitchen.She planned to go up the stairs and start packing a couple of things to take.Liekki could return all the rest of the things after she was gone.

Just as she lifted her foot to head up the first step, Liekki’s huge hand wrapped around one of her biceps and held her firmly, stopping her.

“Wait.”His body heat caressed along her back, while his rough voice as beguiling as satin along the skin whispered close to her ear.

Her breath caught and she tried not to breathe him in, to preserve her sanity as she tried to prepare herself for what the infuriating shifter had to say.

“Tomorrow, you leave with me.”

Not a question.An order.

She’d had enough orders in the lab.She placed a hand on his thick forearm and shoved away from him.Even though she knew he allowed it, she used the moment to escape from his scent and heat.

In the space between the stairs and the door she faced him.He took up a lot of area with his size, but she was grateful that he hadn’t followed her retreat.

“You can’t tell me where I can and can’t go.I’m my own person.”

“In this I will, Avalore.”

Instead of the spine-tingling nickname, hearing her name out of his mouth should have warned her that Liekki meant business, but she’d always been a bit hardheaded.

“In this you won’t,” she countered.“If I have to do it tonight, to get it through your thick head thatIcall the shots for Avalore, then I will.”She reached back for the door handle.

“No.”His growl was low and menacing.“You will not put yourself in harm.You will come with the Mckenna and me tomorrow.”

The Mckenna and Liekki?That gave her pause, her fingers flexed around the handle.“Why would your leader need me to go?I’m not a part of your Thunder.”

Those sexy violet eyes stared at her for a long moment.They were such a pale color that she could swear she could see shadows moving through them like clouds in a sky.She wondered what was going on in the Drahk’s mind.

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