A Midsummer Night's Demon by Brenda Sparks Read Free Book Online Page A

nine o’clock?”
    He hit send. “Done,” he announced.
    Lyn gave him a slanted stare. “I thought you said you didn’t want me anywhere near him.”
    “I don’t. But I also don’t have any other ideas about how to find him.”
    She smiled at him, a smug, satisfied grin. “See, I knew you’d let me win.”
    He captured her chin in his hand, forcing her to look at him. “This is not a game. If he agrees to meet you, you must do everything I say. I will be in charge. You will just be an innocent bystander. The minute he appears you are to get to safety.”
    “But…”
    “No buts, Lyn. I will have your word, that you will do everything I tell you tomorrow night or I will not allow you to meet him. This is too dangerous. You could get us both killed.”
    “I know how dangerous this is.” She attempted to pull away, but he held her to him. “I will do what you say.”
    He searched her eyes for the truth, pushing into her mind to find her determination to do whatever it took to bring her attacker to justice, even if it meant following his orders and running away. “Thank you. I will keep you safe, I swear it. Let’s hope he agrees to meet.”
    “Do you think he bought it? The email I mean.”
    “I think he…” The sound of the chime signaling a new email cut off the rest of Ky’s thought.
    Lyn brought the email up. “Looks like he bought it. He agreed to meet me.”
    Ky couldn’t help but sense the trepidation in her announcement. Her nervousness about meeting her attacker proved to Ky just how smart she really was. Anyone would be nervous being used for bait to lure a killer, but her determination to see this through spoke volumes about her spirit and tenacity.
    He’d learned much about her these past few days, about her personality, but not so much about her life. He found himself wondering what all her favorites were. Favorite color? Favorite movie…Favorite position in bed?
    Okay, that line of thinking was going to have his shaft standing at attention. He needed a distraction from his thoughts.
    “What is your favorite holiday, Lyn?”
    “Litha,” she replied with a wide smile that reached the corners of her eyes.
    Not what he expected. “What’s Litha?”
    “The Litha Sabbat is a Pagan holiday to celebrate both work and leisure. It is a day to celebrate the end of the waxing year and the start of the waning year, prepare for the harvest to come.”
    “When is it?”
    “Midsummer, the end of June.”
    “How do you celebrate it?”
    Her eyes sparkled with memories. “We dance, tell stories, and sing. We also build a huge bonfire on the beach.”
    “Sounds like fun.”
    “It is. You should come.”
    “I tell you what. I’ll make a vow to you tonight that I will accompany you to the festival.” He knew he would have no trouble keeping that vow. He would be with her in June and each of the following Junes for the rest of their lives.
    “You promise?” she asked, anticipation bringing another grin to her pretty face.
    “I promise.”
    The sound of fins slicing through the water drew his attention. He cocked his head to one side, focusing his hearing.
    “You have to see this," he said, pushing from the chair. His hands on her hips steadied her when they rose as one.
    “Come with me." Ky took her hand in his after she put the computer on the chair.
    “Where are we going?”
    “You’ll see.” Ky scooped her into his arms to keep her bare feet from harm as they made their way across the patch of land to the waterfront.
    They emerged through the copse of trees in time to see four gray fins gliding through the water in their direction. Ky lowered her legs, her body moving in a sinuous slide down his. His arms wound around her small waist, pulling her back against his front.
    “Are they sharks?” Lyn asked, wrapping her arms on top of Ky’s.
    “No. They are dolphins. Look.” He pointed a long arm out toward the river as one of the dolphins leapt in the air. It spun head over tailfin