Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 39991 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 200(@200wpm)___ 160(@250wpm)___ 133(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39991 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 200(@200wpm)___ 160(@250wpm)___ 133(@300wpm)
Xavier, who stood next to him, cursed softly. “Trapping this creature isn’t going to be easy,” he murmured. He looked at Rowan. “But we will. As you could see, it can’t get into this building again. I have a feeling it will be a while before it tries again.”
“And it’s okay if I just stay here?”
“Of course. As I said, it’s my fault the draugr got free.” Xavier stared out over the parking lot as if he didn’t truly believe what he’d said and thought that creature might appear. Then he looked at Rowan. “What do you need while you’re here?”
Rowan could only think of one other thing besides his Kindle. “It’s too bad you guys don’t have a kitchen here. I usually bake when I’m upset.”
“Sorry, we don’t. I could move you to one of our safe houses, but the wards here are stronger.”
“I’m fine here,” Rowan said as he watched Ivor walking back toward him. “Honestly, I am. I finally got the sleep I needed because I felt safe. Especially with him here.”
“Ivor?”
Rowan gave Xavier a sheepish smile. “I make no sense, I know. But something about him makes me feel that way. I don’t even know what he is.”
“Ivor is an incubus.”
“Well, that explains the other things he makes me feel,” Rowan muttered mostly under his breath. He wasn’t quiet enough, though, because Xavier chuckled.
“Yes, he has that effect on people and preternaturals alike.”
An incubus! Basically a being made for sex because he fed on sex. At least if the books he’d read carried any thread of truth. No wonder the man drew him in so strongly. Just the way Ivor walked was hot as hell. Sinuous, but kind of predatory. And as he came closer, Rowan felt heat flash through him and could only hope the red of his cheeks could be attributed to the cold. Ivor made him yearn for something he’d never had.
Absolutely fantastic, mind-blowing sex.
Chapter Ten
Rowan
The medieval romance he was reading on his phone wasn’t keeping Rowan’s attention. It had been three days since he’d come to Protective Solutions, and his need to have access to a kitchen had grown unbearable. Wanting to jot some recipe ideas down, he’d asked for a notebook, and a very pretty woman, taller than his own six-foot-three height, had brought him one. She was heavily muscled, and her ears were pointed, so he was guessing elf, though several species here seemed to have pointed ears. But her intense violet eyes reminded him of the other elf he’d been introduced to—Alaric.
He did wonder about her. Ivor had told him Alaric could heal, and he didn’t know if that was a usual power for elves, or if his magic was unique. But this woman was built like a lot of the other bodyguards. Rowan felt positively skinny being around them all. But then, he was skinny compared to a lot of humans as well. It was just the way he was built, and honestly, it didn’t bother him most of the time. He was who he was, and he’d never had the desire to spend the many hours in a gym it would take to bulk up. If he even could.
Ivor strode between some of the cubicles, and Rowan noticed others watching him as he walked. Fuck, he was sexy, so he didn’t blame any of them. His gaze was drawn to the incubus constantly, and often, when he did look, Ivor was looking right back at him. He seemed preoccupied now, though, so Rowan felt free to stare.
Ivor was about his height, and though he was built lean, he had a lot more muscle mass than Rowan. His long black hair was back in its usual braid, and Rowan wished he could see it loose. He also had his daggers sheathed on his back.
Those daggers turned Rowan the fuck on.
He’d always been more of a big sword fetish kind of guy. That thought made him snort. But after watching Ivor in action with those two short swords, he was a big fan now. It was so easy to imagine what Ivor must have been like hundreds of years ago. He had no idea how old he was, but Rowan was sure he was pretty old.
The mountain was so high, clouds obstructed the view of the ground, and Rowan’s heart leaped into his throat as he quickly moved away from the edge of the cliff.
He had nowhere left to run.
Frantically looking for a way out, all he could see was the mob of villagers that had chased him to this precipice. He had his magic, but it wouldn’t be as effective against so many. Still, he threw up his hands and called upon the earth to aid him in creating a barrier between him and the villagers. He shouldn’t have used his talent for persuasion to try and get that loaf of bread, but hunger ate at his belly with a ferocity that had made him lose his judgment.