She pulled back from Talon's kiss and tilted his head so that she could see the skin just below his right ear.
There was a small scar there. A small scar that she, as Nynia, had once given to Speirr when they were fishing as children. She'd drawn back her rod to cast it and the hook had caught his ear.
The star-shaped scar was still there.
Just as it had always been.
Just as it was now.
No, it wasn't possible.
Was it?
She trembled in uncertainty.
His eyes were hooded as he stared hungrily at her. His breath fell gently against her face. She could feel his heart pounding under her hands, feel his strength and heat reaching out to her.
"I've missed you so much, Nyn… Nyn… neighbor."
Sunshine froze as he pulled back instantly. By his face, she could tell he was as surprised at what he'd said as she was.
"What did you call me?"
"Neighbor," he said quickly.
"Before that."
"Nothing."
Okay, this was too friggin' weird. And she wanted, no sheneeded , an explanation.
"Talon," she said, leaving the chair to stand before him. "Tell me what's going on. You know who Nynia is, don't you?"
His obsidian eyes flashed. "Do you?"
Oh God, it was true! He knew her. Somehow he remembered the past too.
He hadn't changed a bit. He couldn't be in daylight. He wasn't an American citizen and yet…
Oh, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out. Somehow, Talon was Speirr.
Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) Hewas a vampire or an immortal or something. She knew it.
"How do you remember me?" she asked him.
"How could I ever forget you?"
She ducked his lips and pushed him back again. "Smooth, but that doesn't answer my question. There's something really odd about you, Talon. And it doesn't make sense that you are now as you were in my dreams. Not even I look the same. But you do. Why?"
Talon wanted to tell her, but couldn't find the words.After you died I sold my soul for vengeance to a Greek goddess who now owns me so that I can spend eternity hunting down and killing vampires for her . Even he had a hard time believing the truth of that statement and he'd been living the reality of it for fifteen hundred years.
She growled at him. "You're stiff again."
"Can't you just live for the moment? Accept me as I am?"
"Okay. But answer me one thing."
"What?"
"When did you graduate high school?"
He looked uncomfortable with her question. "I didn't."
"What year did you drop out then?"
Talon backed away from her. These were things he couldn't answer. Things he refused to answer.
The hurt in her eyes tugged at his heart.
"What's the deal, Talon? I'm not stupid. No one is so allergic to sunlight that they can't even walk in front of a window. And don't think it has escaped my notice that you never show your teeth. If I get too close to them when we kiss, you immediately pull away."
Talon wished he dared use his powers to make her forget him. To change this subject to something less volatile. "What? You want me to admit that I'm a vampire? That I howl at the moon when it's full?"
"Are you? Do you?" She stepped up to him and placed her hand against his chin as if ready to pry his mouth open. "Show me your teeth, Talon."
He stepped back. "I can't."
Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) She gave him a mean glare. "You're Speirr, aren't you? Somehow it is you,you , I see when I dream.
Isn't it?"
He looked away.
"I won't tell anyone," she insisted, softening her voice. "I just need to know.
"
"What difference would it make?" he snapped, growing tired of this conversation. "Would you throw me out?
"
"No," she said breathily, sounding reconciled. "I don't think I could ever throw you out.
"
"Then why do you have to know?
"
The fire returned to her eyes as she narrowed them on him. "Because I want you to be open and honest with me, to share your life."
Her words tore through him. Bitter longing swelled inside his heart as he remembered how hopeless having her had seemed as a mortal man. Back then only social standing and gossips had stood between them. Now the entire universe was united to keep them apart. "What makes you think I want to share my life? Maybe I'm just using you for sex."
Her face stricken, she backed away from him. "Are you?
"
The pain in her eyes ripped him apart. He didn't want to hurt her.
"Are you?" he asked, turning the question back on her.
"Tell me what it is you want from me, Sunshine.
"
"I honestly don't know. Part of me is drawn to you and part of me is scared of you. There's something very dark inside your eyes. If I wanted to get to know you better, would you let me?
"
"No," he said between clenched teeth, "we can't.
"
"Then you owe me a reason why we can't. You know I'm not some child in need of a father to make my decisions for me. I thought you respected me.