"I'm not interested," he finished.
Kiara's blush deepened at the harsh words spoken before the other two men. Narrowing her eyes, she seethed in her humiliation. How had she ever thought she might want this man? He was despicable.
Without a word, she stomped down the hall to her bedroom and slammed the door.
What had she been thinking when she considered him handsome. He wasn't even human!
Kiara paused. That must be his problem.
No, he said Hauk didn't like humans and he wasn't interested.
Jerking her costume off, she tossed it. on the bed. Never had she been so embarrassed.
Who did he think he was? A mercenary assassin? Hah! He wasn't worthy of such an awe inspiring title. He was just a crude, low-bred gimfry with the manners of a ghoul!
She would show him how little he meant to her. In fact, she'd never even speak to him again.
Kiara belted her robe around her waist and entered the hallway. She stopped and looked back to where Nykyrian still leaned against her bar. Her body trembled in rage.
Nykyrian's skin tingled. He knew he was being watched. Turning his head, he saw Kiara's blazing amber eyes. Good, she hated him. Hatred was one thing he could easily deal with. But then, why did he ache with the knowledge that she despised him? He should be happy.
Shaking himself out of his emotions, he turned back to Hauk. He heard Kiara enter the bathroom. When the water came on, an im age of her naked body caressed by the water's spray flashed through his mind.
Against his will, his body responded with a hammering need.
"Are you all right?" Darling asked.
"Tired." Nykyrian cleared his throat. "You were saying you placed scanners outside in the corridor."
"Right. Hauk reworked the com munications system to prevent anyone from accessing it.
The channels will be clear should you need to contact us."
Nykyrian nodded. "I still intend to use the link."
"Probably for the best," Hauk said. "Once Bredeh learns you're guarding her, he's going to come after you with full arsenal."
"I'm ready."
Hauk snorted. "I wouldn't be so arrogant. He won't stick by League rules and attack you openly. He wants your life more than he wants Kiara's." Hauk crunched a friggle.
Nykyrian shrugged. Aksel was the least of his present concerns.
Nykyrian heard Kiara leave the bathroom. Squelching the desire to look at her, he returned his thoughts to their discussion. "You act as if Aksel wanting me dead is something new. He's been trying to kill me since I was ten."
Hauk snorted. "True, but— "
Kiara's scream echoed in the flat.
Nykyrian went cold. Drawing his blaster, he ran down the corridor to the back room where the sound had com e from. Carefully, he entered the studio, then froze.
With a stern frown, he looked at Kiara's rage flushed face. She stood in the center of the room, hands on hips.
"What is going on?" he snapped, angered over her unwarranted shriek.
"What have you done?" she snarled. "Look at my room!" She gestured toward the black blaster shields over her floor length windows. "How dare you people come into my home and rearrange my furnishings. And what is that thing?"
Holstering his blaster, Nykyrian stared at the opaque window coverings. "It's a blast shield."
Darling and Hauk exchanged wary looks.
"I forgot to mention that," Darling said. "We covered all the windows to keep snipers from seeing a target."
Kiara fumed. "I want you to leave! All of you. Out!"
Nykyrian nodded to Hauk and Darling, excusing them. Without a word, they left.
"I meant you as well."
"I know you did. Get used to me, I'm not leaving."
She walked right up to him, her fists clenched tightly at her sides. "You're fired."
Her audacity almost made him smile. It had been a long time since someone dared stand up to him in anger without a weapon pointed at his head. "You didn't hire me."
Kiara's eyes widened. Never in her life had she been so angry. In fact, it was rare she ever lost her temper. She stared at Nykyrian wishing she were Trisani and could splatter him against her walls with just her thoughts.
"I want you out of my home."
For a brief moment, she thought he winced, but his face quickly turned back hard. He left the studio.
Satisfaction washed over her as she surveyed the empty room. Tom orrow she would have the building's maintenance crew remove the shields. Tonight she would enjoy the peacefulness of being alone and alive.
She wanted her life back and she intended to claim it!
A movement in one of her mirrors caught her attention. Stepping closer to the glass, she recognized Nykyrian in her front room.
She trembled in rage. He hadn't left. In a heated daze, she went to expel him from her life. She was tired of having no control over anything that happened to her. The time had come for people to realize she would tolerate no more encroachments on her freedom!