Taming the Hunted Read Free Page A

idea out. Night stalkers and hunters did not hook-up.
    Looking around his great ass, she found they were standing
in the second floor hallway, which opened onto the entryway below. A wooden
rail ran the length of the hall with stairs at each end leading to the entry.
    “Like it? It was being used as a bed-and-breakfast until we
moved in.”
    “Where are the rest of your friends?” she asked, noting that
the house was quiet and still.
    “Out, they should be back soon.” He looked like he wanted to
say more, but thought better of it. Closing his mouth, he ushered her to the
end of the hall.
    “They must be brave to be out at night.” Her body was coiled
in tension in the unfamiliar surroundings, each step calculated and her eyes
scanning for exits as they walked.
    “They can take care of themselves.” He started down the
metal stairs that spiraled to the bottom level. He was at the bottom before he
seemed to realize she wasn’t behind him. “Come on.”
    “I think I’ll just go back to our, my, your room,” she
stated before sliding back along the wall so that she didn’t present her back
to him. Her hands clenched and unclenched as she fought to keep the fear at bay,
her eyes firmly fixed on the solid floor beneath her feet.
    He was at her side before she moved more than two steps.
Grasping her elbow lightly, he turned her face. His hand felt hot on her skin,
but she kept her arms by her sides and her eyes focused on the faded red carpet
under her feet.
    “What’s wrong?” he asked, sounding surprised at her sudden
change in mood.
    “In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m afraid of heights.”
    He was silent for a moment, and she felt drawn to look up at
his face to see what he was thinking. She couldn’t read voices as well as body
language and needed to know if he was angry with her.
    “But it’s only one floor up.”
    She looked straight up. It was a bad idea to gaze into those
incredible golden eyes. Her brain started to scramble and her breath caught in
her chest. She tried to tell herself it was from the fear, but the heat rising in
her chest and the fluid pooling between her legs had nothing to do with the
height. With him just inches from her, she could feel the heat of his body
through his shirt and shuddered as his breath warmed her neck.
    “I won’t let you fall,” he whispered.
    She nodded and tried to calm her breath as the dizziness
from the heightened lust welled in her body. His smell was like a pheromone,
setting every cell in her body on fire.
    She felt him guide her to the top of the stairs, her gaze
still fixed somewhere between his face and shoulders. His arm was firm and
comforting around her waist as he lifted her into his arms and jumped over the
banister, landing hard, but balanced, on the floor below. The air left her
lungs in a huff of surprise as they landed.
    “What’s the hurry?” she asked, breathless as he set her on
her feet again. His hand accidentally—or not—brushed the sensitive path up her
ass and the curve of her back.
    He gave her a smile, showing too many teeth, and his eyes
sparkled, enticing her in.
    A choked laugh pushed past her lips, feeling like a fool,
forgetting her training at one smile from this guy. She looked around the foyer
in an attempt to orient herself. She could hear noise now, low voices
murmuring. A room led off to one side, and she could see Kennard in there,
reading the paper on a beige lounge. Intrigued by the vampire who lived with his
natural enemy, she went to investigate, stepping across the foyer. She felt Gabriel follow and made sure to keep him in sight.
    Pushing open the door and entering the room, she was
surprised to find a small girl, no more than ten, sitting at Kennard’s feet and
painting his toenails red before a large, empty fireplace.
    “Hello,” the girl said not looking up.
    Something about her voice made shivers crawl up Marian’s back. That voice should have belonged to a much older woman. She studied the girl,