“Good.” Relief flooded her eyes as she released him and stepped back. She shoved her hands into her jeans pockets, retreating into a charming shyness. “So…what can I do for you…other than clobber you in the head?”
His lips twitched. The desire to smile startled him. How long had it been since he’d felt such a need? He grunted with annoyance. He had no time for such foolishness.
Kaderil rose to his full height. “I’m looking for Larsen Vale.”
“Larsen’s not here.” The woman took a step back, but still no fear entered her eyes. A good thing, he had to remind himself. He needed humans not to fear him. Especially this human who apparently knew his prey.
“Are you a friend of hers?” she asked.
“No. I need to find her. She’s in danger.”
She cocked her head, exposing a long expanse of soft, delicate neck. “What do you mean?”
He swallowed the desire she drew so easily in him, needing to play this role with extreme care. “I’ve been having dreams about her. And a man with pure white skin who means to harm her.” He grimaced for effect. “I know that sounds crazy.”
“Not as crazy as you’d think.” Her brows lifted above sharp intelligent eyes, eyes that clearly understood the significance of his words. Either she’d seen Baleris herself, or knew of him and the Esri. A rarity, it seemed. Of the dozens of humans he’d touched, not one had heard the word Esri. Not one knew of the gates between the worlds.
“I need to talk to Larsen,” he said.
The fire-haired beauty hesitated. “Give me your phone number. I’ll have her get in touch with you.”
No, that was unacceptable. Not only was he awkward with the cell phone Ustanis acquired for him, but he had no time to await a phone call. In barely two weeks, the gate would open and his mission must be complete. This woman would help him whether she wished to or not.
He thrust out his hand. “I’m Kade Smith.”
The woman blinked, her gaze softening as she took his hand. “Autumn McGinn.”
As before, he felt an enticing warmth flow between them. His instincts warred between backing away and moving closer until he was in danger of falling into those soft gray eyes. With effort, he did neither.
Instead, holding her hand in his, he thrust thoughts into her head. Thoughts that would make her trust him. He watched her eyes cloud with a confusion that should not be there.
Instead of doing as the foreign thoughts bade her, she merely blinked. Other humans had taken his thoughts as if they were their own. Something was clearly interfering with his small power over her. But even as he debated his next move, she cocked her head.
“Why don’t you come…inside?”
It had worked. “I will.” Belatedly, he added, “Thank you.”
She turned and led him to the door, but as she reached for the handle, she stilled and looked down at her hand as if wondering what she was doing. Already his control over her was slipping. She turned to look up at him, confusion shadowing her eyes.
“I don’t think…” she began.
Kaderil slid his hand beneath her braid, his fingers gliding across the silken skin of her neck. He’d meant merely to touch her, but the unintended intimacy of that touch parted her lips and lit surprised sparks in her eyes, beckoning him as female eyes never did. His pulse quickened. His gaze fell to those ripe, parted lips and he nearly forgot what he was about.
Control. He was attempting to assert some control. He pushed the thought into her head. Invite him inside. But the sparks in her eyes flared into desire.
“Come inside.” Her words were low and husky, sending a rush of need barreling through him.
Had he somehow forced her interest with his touch? No. He couldn’t have. His power over humans ended with the reading of their memories and the pushing of thoughts into their heads. He had no ability to affect their emotions.
Which meant the attraction he saw in her eyes was real. Sweet Esria.
Autumn slid the door open behind her without breaking his gaze, but as she backed into the open doorway, she stumbled over the door’s track, the sensual light in her eyes disappearing in a gasp of dismay.
Kaderil grabbed her arm to steady her, careful not to break her fragile bones.
“Thanks.” She eased out of the doorway to allow him entrance even as she bared her teeth in a grimace. “I’m not always this clumsy.” Color washed her cheeks. “Who am I kidding? Sure I am.”
Her admission surprised him, prompting another urge to smile. He liked her, he realized. An odd and inconvenient reaction to have to a human.
“Call Larsen Vale,” he commanded. “Please.”
The woman peeled off her jacket and tossed it on a stool as she went into the kitchen, revealing a green sweater clinging to soft curves. Jeans covered her slender hips and long, long legs. His body stirred as he watched her charmingly unbalanced walk until she disappeared around the counter. But when she returned, she carried not a phone, but a flashlight.
He stared at her in consternation. Had his thoughts not taken at all?
“Autumn, make the phone call.”
She met his gaze without flinching. “I will. As soon as I’m sure I didn’t give you a concussion. Now, sit down so I can reach you.” Laughter sparkled in her eyes. “I don’t think I’ve ever said that to anyone before. Except my dad. He’s not as tall as you, but he’s close.”
“Does he also have hair the color of yours?”
“Oh, yes.” The words came out on a sigh. “I got all my quirky traits from my dad. You’d never believe I was related to the rest of my family. My mom’s a five-foot-four blond ballet teacher. Both my sisters look just like her.”
“Their loss.” He wasn’t sure where he’d picked up the term, but the quick grin that lit her face made the breath catch in his throat. She had a smile fit for royalty.
“Thanks.” Her expression turned unaccountably shy. “Now, umm, come sit down so I can check your eyes.”
“My eyes?”
“The dilation. I want to make sure I didn’t give you a concussion.” She slid the soft pads of her fingers around the much larger bones of his wrist and tugged him toward the sofa.
Would Esri eyes react like human eyes? He couldn’t be sure and couldn’t take the chance, not when he’d finally made contact with one who could lead him to his prey.
He was about to try to push the thought into her head that his eyes were fine when she glanced back at him with an impish sparkle. “I’ve seen this done on TV a million times.”
The glitter of self-directed humor told him she laughed at herself, but it was the wry quirk of her lips that drew his gaze and aroused his hunger. And when her soft palm pressed against his chest, urging him to sit, he unleashed the desire that had plagued him from the moment her fingers had first eased into his hair. He kissed her, dipping his head and pressing his mouth against the extraordinary softness of her lips.
The woman stiffened at the contact. Her eyes opened wide with surprise, but she showed no fear, and didn’t pull away.
His lips moved over hers lightly, sampling the sweetness of that tempting flesh, drinking the spicy fragrance of her skin. She tasted of honey and cinnamon, and alluring, intoxicating female. He’d had females before, though he’d rarely kissed them, for only those who sought the titillation of fear with their mating came near him. This was so very, very different.
He felt the moment her mouth softened beneath his and began to move, joining the kiss. A sound escaped her throat.