Page 82 of Hunt the Dusk
Ezekiel joined us in standing, and once again I was sandwiched between them, a hummingbird heart trapped between the beat of two powerful wings.
“I can rescind my permission for you to date,” Ezekiel said.
I smiled sweetly at him. “Of course that’s your prerogative.”
Our gazes clashed, and his darkened like warm honey as I waited for him to release me, knowing that I needed to give him that much power. He blinked, breaking the contact between us and lifted his gaze over my head to Kaster. “Take care of her,” he said.
Kaster’s fingers grazed the small of my back, and I sank into his touch like he was a magnetic force helping to draw me away from the lethal heat of the sun.
“I’ll see you back at the castle.” I headed to the curtained exit behind our box, eager to put distance between us before he found a way to tie me up in ribbons of feeling.
The throng in the entranceway was thick with excitement for the evening to come, and it was slow progress trying to cut through it.
“Kaster!” Atlas wove his way toward us, and Kaster’s grip on my waist flexed, sending a delicious pulse through me. “We have a problem.” He huffed as he joined us. “The river patrol team didn’t check in.”
Kaster paled.Orina, can you give us a moment?
Of course.
I’ll meet you outside.He lightly touched the skin at the nape of my neck, and I felt our connection snap.
I left them to it and fought my way out into the night. The cool air riffled through my hair, lifting tendrils off my cheek to cool my overly warm skin.
My stomach grumbled.
I was so ready for a decent meal. Something packed with protein and?—
“Did your date abandon you?” Ezekiel drawled, joining me on the steps.
“No. He’s just dealing with some work.”
“Work, when he has a beautiful woman on his arm?” He tutted. “How uncouth.”
I rolled my eyes. “Like you wouldn’t drop me like a hot coal if something more important came up.”
All humor seeped from his expression. “And what if there was nothing more important than you?”
My heart stuttered, but I straightened my spine, ignoring the shivers his words evoked. “I’m not in the mood for games, Ezekiel.”
He sighed. “Shame. It is so much fun playing with you.”
“Yeah well, I?—”
My back erupted in a familiar and chilling vibration where my holster contacted my skin. Heart pounding, I drew my sword, biting back a curse as the vibration turned into a low-grade hum that ran up my arm.
“Orina?” Ezekiel took a step toward me, but I held up a hand to ward him off, focusing solely on my blessed sword and the warning it was singing.
I hadn’t felt this for months, and I’d been glad of it.
But it was here now, which meant one thing only.
Cold ones.
“Keepthe doors and windows locked! No one leaves.”
Humans screamed and vampires hissed as Kaster and Atlas ushered everyone back inside.
“You’re sure about this?” Ezekiel asked.
