Dark Lover by Brenda Joyce Read Free Book Online Page B

believed. He was aware that she thought him selfish and a user—and she was right. He had one and only one interest in her.
    Pleasure was an escape. He never had flashbacks during sex.
    The first time he had seen Sam Rose, she had been crossing the street in Oban, Scotland, causing male pedestrians to trip and stare. Traffic had come to a screeching stop. His mouth had gone dry and he’d become as hard as a two-by-four. He’d known then and there that he’d have her. No woman had ever denied him. He’d been honest when he said he always got what he wanted.
    He’d felt her warrior power instantly and that had added to her allure and appeal. Most of the women he used were rich and bored, the highlight of their day a trip to Cartier. Now he knew even more about her. She was a powerfulSlayer. The highlight of her day was a bloody fight with the devil. He would never forget the sight of her battling the possessed teens in her little red dress and spike heels just moments ago—fighting as he’d never seen a woman fight before. She’d taken down the five possessed teens effortlessly. And she had not been afraid. He’d have felt it. Evil did not frighten her.
    It frightened everyone else.
    It frightened him.
    He hid beneath a pile of towels, trying to make himself as small as he could. His grandfather had returned and he had guests—and he was calling for him. Fear made him sick. He lost control of his bladder. He was throwing up. He knew what they’d do to him. They were bored and he’d be the evening’s sport—until they went to hunt the Innocent on the streets. There was nowhere to hide and they wouldn’t let him die. He’d heard Moray telling his captors that he must be kept alive—at all costs .
    He prayed to his father, begging him to hear him, begging him to come rescue him .
    The door opened and the lights in the bathroom came on .
    He was sweating and sick now. His gut was so tight, he thought it might explode. He reminded himself that he was not a captive child now and that Sam Rose wasn’t evil. He wasn’t helplessly shackled and chained. Monsters weren’t waiting to devour him, his grandfather’s guests weren’t waiting to rip him apart. This was a game. And she was going to wind up in his bed, beneath his body, and he’d be the one pounding into her. He was not a prisoner now. He was a free man—wealthy, powerful and in control of his life.
    She jerked hard on the handcuffs. “If you leap into that vault, you will be taking me with you.”
    He had no idea if a pair of handcuffs would keep her with him during a leap. He didn’t need to use that powerto get into Hemmer’s vault. He could open locks and dismantle alarms with his mind, but Sam already knew that. If he needed to leap to get inside, he didn’t think he’d have the courage to do so. Pain still terrified him.
    Ian turned to stare out of the taxi’s window. He refused to go back into the past now.
    â€œWhat is it? I happen to know firsthand that one person with the power to leap can bring another along. Handcuffs might do the trick.”
    Somehow he smiled at her. “Really? An’ who gave ye the ride?”
    Her gaze widened, focused on his. It was far too searching, too direct. He wasn’t good at reading minds. The power came and went. Sometimes it was sketchy, as if there was static in the telepathy. Sometimes it was perfect. But he didn’t need the power to know that she was determined to stop him from stealing the page.
    â€œNick brought me back with him. We were looking for Brie when your father took her hostage,” she finally said.
    He was staring out of the window at Central Park now. So she’d gone back in time—good for her. Then she knew how excruciating leaping through time was.
    â€œYou do plan on leaping into the vault, don’t you?”
    He wanted to tell her to shut up.
    He turned to