Page 53 of Kiss for My Kraken
“I can hear you thinking.”
“Sorry. I guess your distraction wore off.”
“Do you want me to start again?”
A tentacle slid across her breasts and she instinctively arched against it before she shook her head.
“Yes, but no. Not yet.” She took a deep breath. “I think we should lead them here.”
“Absolutely not,” he roared, his skin darkening, and she quickly put a soothing hand on his face.
“Just hear me out, please. First of all, I hate this waiting. It’s like I can’t breathe for worrying about what’s going to happen. If they’re going to take me. If they’re going to hurt you or anyone else.”
She sat up and he moved back, but he was obviously unhappy about the idea, judging by the way the markings on his skin flashed angrily.
“This way we can control the situation. We’ll be ready for them. Please. We have to take care of this, once and for all.”
“It puts you in danger.”
“Less than I am already because this way I know you’ll be there.”
His markings flashed again, but he finally gave a terse nod. “We will speak to Eric.”
The next nightNina sat quietly in the darkness, her hands folded in her lap. From this vantage point, she could see the dock, illuminated by the soft glow of the dock light. A gentle breeze ruffled her hair, carrying the scent of the river.
Ozzie whined softly from his bed in the corner, his ears perked up, body tense.
“It’s okay, boy,” she whispered, though they both knew it wasn’t.
When she’d returned from work, Ben had walked her all the way to her door, shotgun in hand. His tall ears had twitched continuously, scanning for danger.
“Don’t open for anyone you don’t know,” he’d grunted, his red eyes gleaming in the moonlight. She nodded, throat tight, and his usually grumpy expression had softened momentarily. “We protect our own, kid.”
Our own.The words had warmed her even through her fear. After years of conditional acceptance in Haven, where belonging hinged on perfect obedience, the fierce protectiveness of these virtual strangers felt like a miracle.
And then there was Sam. She knew he was out there now, watching from the river, a silent guardian far more dangerous than anyone from her old community could imagine. She couldn’t see him, but she felt his presence—a comforting pressure in the air, a certainty as solid as the ground beneath her feet.
A twig snapped outside, and she froze, her breath catching. Ozzie growled low in his throat, hackles rising as he padded to her side.
Another snap, closer this time, followed by the unmistakable sound of footsteps—multiple sets—approaching from the forest path.
They’re here.
Her heart hammered against her ribs. The confrontation they’d been preparing for was about to happen. She backed away from the window, mind racing through the plan she and Sam had made.
Let them approach. Stand her ground. Keep them talking until Sam could position himself. Under no circumstances go with them willingly.
She straightened her shoulders and moved to the center of the room, facing the door. Ozzie stationed himself at her side, his warm body pressed against her leg, a small but fiercely loyal protector.
The footsteps stopped on her porch. A moment of silence stretched, taut as a bowstring.
Then came a sharp, authoritative knock.
“Nina.” Jed’s voice, unchanged after all this time. Cold. Certain. “Open the door.”
She didn’t move, didn’t speak. Her hands trembled slightly, but she clasped them together, steadying herself.
The knob turned, testing. Finding it locked, there was a muttered consultation, then the distinct sound of metal on metal—a lock pick.
