WHERE DARKNESS LIVES

He needed Sophia to believe that she was in charge.

“The imp wouldn’t have chosen me if I wasn’t the best at what I do, would he?”

Her lips thinned. “There’s more to being a bodyguard than just muscle and fighting skills. I need someone who can blend into the background.”

“I can blend.”

“Is that a joke?” She threw her hands in the air. “You look like you should be invading a small country.”

He glanced down at his black T-shirt and pants. He’d deliberately left his Glock and two Uzis in the car. Of course, he had his handy-dandy S & W tucked in a holster at the small of his back.

“What exactly does that mean?”

“It means that you’re not right for the job.” With a lift of her chin, she rounded the desk and headed for the door. “Sorry.”

With a speed that was shocking even for a pure-blooded Were, Luc reached out to snag her arm, twirling her around so she was standing between his spread legs.

They were nose to nose, electricity crackling in the air between them.

A heady combination of aggression and pure sex.

“You know what I think?” His voice was husky.

She could have broken his grip. He might be physically stronger, but she wasn’t helpless. Everyone knew there was nothing more dangerous than a pissed-off female Were.

Instead she met him glare for glare.

“I don’t care.”

“I think you’re scared.”

She stiffened, her eyes glowing with emerald fire.

“Let. Go.”

“You’re scared because you want me.”

She wanted to deny the truth of his words. He could read it on her exquisite face. But she wasn’t stupid. Even if he couldn’t feel her telltale shivers at his touch, or see the way her eyes dilated when they slid down his body, he could scent her arousal.

“I’ve wanted—and had—countless men over the years,” she informed him. “Big deal.”

He growled, his wolf not pleased at the thought of her with another lover.

“You’ve never had a man like me—” he started to assure her, abruptly freezing as he caught the flicker of light out of the corner of his eye. A scope reflecting in the sunlight. “Mierda.”

Acting on pure reflex, Luc shoved Sophia to the ground and landed on top of her, covering her with his larger body.

She cursed, but before she could try to throw him off, the sound of a gunshot echoed through the room, followed by an explosion of splintering glass.

Luc remained motionless, waiting for another shot. When nothing happened, he at last pulled back to run a searching gaze over Sophia’s pale face.

“Are you hurt?” he growled.

She gave a shake of her head. “No.”

“Good.” With one fluid motion he was on his feet and sprinting to leap through the broken window. “Stay here.”





CHAPTER 2





Stay here.

The damned Were was delusional if he thought he could order her around like a pet dog, Sophia told herself, swiftly rising to her feet and following him through the shattered window.

Okay, he’d saved her life. And while it annoyed the hell out of her that she’d needed his protection, she was willing to offer her gratitude.

But that didn’t mean he was going to go around snapping out commands and expecting her to obey.

Some bastard had just tried to kill her and she was going to find who the hell it was.

Then she was going to rip out their heart and feed it to the vultures.

Or at least that was the plan.

Managing to get through the window without slicing open a major artery, Sophia paused as she realized that Luc had already crossed the street and entered the three-storied brick office building.

Holy shit, he was fast.

And wicked strong.

And so gloriously, spectacularly male that he made her ache in all the right places.

Which, of course, was why she was so twitchy when he was near. And why she was so reluctant to hire him as her bodyguard.

Even if she would rather bite off her tongue than admit it.

Realizing that the gunshot had already attracted unwelcome attention, Sophia forced herself to walk at a steady pace across the street and into the building where the shooter must have taken aim at her. Humans were always so easily spooked. A few gunshots, even when they weren’t the target, and they were ready to panic.

It made her long to shift and really give them something to fear.

Muttering beneath her breath at the realization that her attacker could be halfway to St. Louis by now, she pulled open the glass door and entered the empty lobby.

Cautiously she sniffed the air, catching Luc’s enticing scent that blended with the humans that filled the building. But there was no hint of another demon in the area.

Could it have been a mortal who had taken a shot at her?

Puzzled, Sophia ignored the bank of elevators and pulled open the door to the stairwell. She hesitated only long enough to make certain nothing was lurking in the shadows before moving up the metal steps tucked against the wall.