Running From the Night by R. J. Terrell Read Free Book Online Page A

smiled, ever so slightly, and those light brown eyes seemed to dissect him on the spot.
    She stepped closer and he took a step back without realizing it. “Don’t tell me I make you nervous? You look like you can take good care of yourself, and I’m such a little thing.”
    Jelani never blinked. “Only a fool assesses a threat by physical appearance alone.”
    “Am I a threat?”
    “Are you?”
    “Maybe.” She narrowed her eyes, and Jelani imagined venom dripping from that smile.
    “Have I wronged you in any way I’m unaware of?” He asked.
    “Not at all. I just found you interesting and thought I would see if I could find you again.”
    “You’ll have to excuse me if I find your presence a little unnerving, considering the circumstances in which we met.”
    She nodded appreciatively. “I can understand that. You look to have avoided the fate that Hunter had in store for you.”
    “Hunter?” Jelani frowned. “You mean that guy dressed in all black? He looked like an assassin.”
    She seemed to consider the word, but to Jelani, it looked more like she was just having fun with him. “In a manner of speaking, you could say he was an assassin. But assassins target important people. The man that was after you was about as far the opposite of important as can be possible.”
    “You could describe me the same way,” Jelani replied. “I’m nobody important, either. So why would that guy target me? I hadn’t even gotten a look at his face until he was after me. He could have taken both those guys out and I would have been gone in the opposite direction by the time he finished.”
    The smirk on her elegant face suggested his naïveté was quite cute. “They don’t take chances, jaan . They never leave anything to chance. You were there, and that’s enough.”
    Jelani felt a cold that bit deeper than the air that misted his breath as he gave a sharp exhale. “So what are you saying? Should I watch my back?”
    “You can watch every part of your body that makes you comfortable.”
    “You know what I mean.” Jelani was feeling a quiet sense of alarm creeping on him, yet she seemed unperturbed by all this.
    “You should be very careful, though I don’t know how much good it will do you. Hunters do not give up. Sooner or later they will find you.”
    “They? There was only one of them. What’re they gonna do? Empty the guild on me? I was out jogging and was attacked by whoever or whatever that guy was, and now I’m the bad guy here?”
    “It’s not personal, you understand.”
    “You seem pretty detached from all this. Shouldn’t you be worried, too? You might have been seen.”
    Not a flicker of concern crossed her features, even for a second. “I think I should be fine.”
    “You think that big guy can protect you from these Hunters?”
    To his continued confusion, she looked on the verge of laughter. “With or without Kafeel, I think I should manage alright.”
    He didn’t even try to hide his confusion. “Well, I appreciate you appearing from wherever you were hiding just to rattle my cage. Was there a point to this?”
    She shrugged. “I find you interesting.”
    “Interesting …” he parroted. “You find me … interesting.”
    “Yes, I do.” She smiled at him, and a flicker ran across her eyes. It happened so quickly that Jelani wasn’t sure what he’d seen.
    “Well, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find you interesting as well. Mind telling me your name?”
    “Why do you want to know my name?”
    Jelani frowned, and for a moment, he was utterly speechless. “Um, well … people usually introduce themselves when having a lengthy conversation such as we are.” She tilted her head as if studying him as he spoke. “You aren’t from here, are you?” He used the question as an excuse to guiltlessly give her a once over, taking in every curve and enticing dimension of her perfect figure. As always, it came back to the eyes, and what eyes they were! Light brown, with just a