Reaching the kitchen, Kiara paused, shocked by the sight before her.
He was preparing dinner? Her anger dissolved. Never had she expected a mercenary assassin to cook. "What are you doing?" she asked, subdued.
"I thought you might be hungry, I know I am."
Kiara watched him rinse assorted brenna vegetables in her sink. Pulling her cutting block off the wall, he began chopping the vegetables into tiny pieces. "You actually look like you know what you're doing."
He stopped chopping and looked up at her. "Does it surprise you? Even killers need food."
She ignored his obvious barb. "Food yes, but Cretoria? That is what you're making?"
"Yes." He finished chopping the vegetables, then placed them on the counter.
"So, you're a killer and a gourmet."
Nykyrian shrugged while he walked to her cooling unit and pulled out her defrosted trona meat. He returned to her counter. "You could say I'm a gourmet killer. Being Andarion, I like my human m eat cooked well."
She bit her lip at his even tone that betrayed no hint of emotion. "You told me you don't eat humans."
She was sure the look under his glasses was a sharp glare. Without a word, he began chopping the meat.
Kiara watched the hacking cleaver, and with each thump she cringed. Was she safe alone with him? Her hands trembled. Her father wouldn't have hired him if he thought there would be any danger to her. Right?
If only she could read his thoughts as easily as he seemed to read hers.
"Do you ever remove your glasses?"
"No."
She pursed her lips at his curt response. "Are you embarrassed over your Andarion eyes?" she persisted, trying to figure out why he wanted to wear them inside.
He growled low in his throat. "Nothing about me, bothers m e. But my eyes seem to make everyone else damn uncomfortable."
"Even Hauk?"
The cleaver thumped louder. "Especially Hauk."
Kiara wondered at his words. How could an Andarion be made uncomfortable by another of his kind?
Who was this man in her home?
She realized she wouldn't find out. the answer today. "I need to dress," she said quietly, leaving the kitchen.
Thank you, Nykyrian thought to himself. The low-dip in the front of her robe caused him quite a bit of discomfort. Since she had called his attention to the studio, the only thing he had really noticed was the tiny droplets of water clinging to the deep cleft of her breasts.
He vowed to keep his mind on business not Kiara's body.
To help achieve his goal, he switched on the disc player located on the kitchen counter.
As he finished placing the meat and vegetables into a dish, he heard Rachol's knock code on the door.
Kiara came running from her room, fastening the last three buttons of her blouse.
Nykyrian groaned inwardly, regretting he had ever told her he wasn't interested in her body. No doubt, she figured she could run about naked and not stir him. This was going to be a long mission.
Reining his body back into his rigid control, Nykyrian moved to the door.
Kiara opened it, admitting Rachol and her father.
"Thank God," the Comm ander said and pulled her into his arms. "When I saw the bodies, I was terrified you were hurt.'"
Another wave of panic threatened to consume Kiara as she thought over her near death.
"Luckily Nykyrian and Rachol were there," she said.
Tiarun released her and faced Nykyrian. "I thought you people were going to wait until tomorrow before starting your protection."
"Had we waited, she would be dead," Nykyrian said with his usual nonchalance, making Kiara wonder if anything ever set his temper off, or elicited any other "normal"
response.
Her father tensed before nodding at Nykyrian's callous words. "I wanted to tell you about this," he said to Kiara, rubbing her arm tenderly. "I was waiting until after your performance. I didn't want to upset you."
"I'm not upset," she lied, not wanting to hurt his feelings.
Tiarun gave her a grim smile. He looked back at Nykyrian with the stern frown that never failed to intimidate Kiara. "I do have misgivings about this. I warned Nemesis, now I warn you. Should anything happen to her, I won't rest until I have destroyed every member of the OMG."
Nykyrian had to stifle his disbelieving snort. "We're professionals. Kiara is safer with us than she would ever be with you," he replied calm ly.
Tiarun narrowed his eyes in a way that m ade Nykyrian want to growl in response. "She'd better be. I intend to keep in constant contact." Tiarun pulled Kiara back into his arms, giving her a tight hug. "I hate to leave, but I need to get back to the base and deal with the reporters and paperwork over what happened tonight. If you need me. call."
"I will," she promised, kissing his cheek.
"I'll check on you when I get home."
"Okay." Reluctantly, she closed the door behind him.
Kiara frowned at the mocking expression on Rachol's face as he walked to Nykyrian.
"Parental worries? Yuck!" Rachol shuddered.
Nykyrian shoved his shoulder. "Don't mock."