Wrath: The Niteclif Evolutions, Book 2 by Denise Tompkins Read Free Book Online Page B

sat there among the scattered flowers, water and shattered glass and watched the other guard disappear into the hotel room as the first guard closed the distance. His eyes were dragon blue, and I knew he had to be a member of the weyr.
    “You are…”
    I sighed. “The Niteclif.”
    “I thought so. Glaaca,” he shouted, then he turned back to glare openly at me. Hellion’s words came back to me that the killer could be anyone in the weyr, and I shivered. Suddenly complete strangers looked like potential murderers.
    Bahlin swung around the corner of the door and, seeing me sprawled on the floor, broke into a sprint. Clay was hot on his heels. The lesser dragon sported a massive shiner and a nasty split lip. It didn’t slow him down.
    Bahlin slipped and slid through the mess and snatched me up off the ground, crushing me to his chest.
    “ Oomph .”
    “Maddy, Maddy, Maddy,” he chanted into my hair, briskly rubbing my back.
    “It’s a good thing I’m not still wounded, you know.” I pushed back on his chest so I could see his face.
    His midnight blue eyes peered down at me and his brows drew together. “What do you mean you’re not wounded? I just saw you yesterday—”
    “Right. When you dumped my ass. Put me down.” I struggled, and he set me down just outside the halo of broken glass.
    “Clay explained—”
    “Only because you wouldn’t give me an opportunity to do it myself.” I shoved him back and he let me. “You arrogant ass. Did you think to give me a minute to explain before jumping to conclusions?” I stormed away from him, the robe flapping in the breeze of my righteous fury, and I spun to storm back. “ No, you didn’t. Instead, you called off the engagement and left me to be abducted.” And to get a personal message from a god . My chest was heaving and my heart hurt. I knew this was unfair but I couldn’t seem to stop myself.
    Sensing a cataclysmic fight in the making, Clay jumped between us. “Maddy? Maddy.” He grabbed my shoulders and shook me, and Bahlin growled. “Listen. It was my fault you were taken. I wasn’t, uh, doing my job when Hellion broke into the room. Where did he take you?”
    “Is no one going to ask if I’m okay?” My question was met with total silence. “Nice. Very nice you arrogant, overgrown, winged geckos. He took me to the twenty-sixth floor. You never think to check your own house first, do you?”
    I wrenched myself out of Clay’s hands and stalked into my suite, intent on getting some clothes on.
    “Maddy?” Clay called. “Before I forget, there’s a message for you.”
    I paused, looking over my shoulder. “Yeah?”
    “Gaitha, Queen of the Fae, would like to speak to you about the Council vacancy.” He looked disturbed.
    “I’m sure she would.” I sighed and ran my hands through my hair. “Not today, though. I’ll send a messenger…how? How exactly does one get in touch with the fae, Clay?”
    “I’ll make sure she knows you’ll be in touch.”
    Bahlin followed me into the suite and turned to the other man. “Get everyone out,” Bahlin said softly but firmly. “Clay, arrange four men on the door and elevators, six men in the lobby. Someone watch the window. I need some time alone with my…” He paused.
    I looked at him over my shoulder. “Your what?” He didn’t answer so I turned to face him head on. “Am I still your fiancée? Your trékkar ?”
    He scrubbed his hands hard over his face, then clutched his temples with his eyes closed. He stood that way for a lifetime before he finally opened his eyes and dropped his hands to his hips. “What do you want from me, Maddy?”
    “Nothing more than you’re willing to give.”
    “I just don’t know,” he admitted, staring at me intently.
    “Fair enough. When I thought you wanted me, all I wanted was you in return. Now I’m not so sure either.”
    “I thought you were—wait, what do you mean you’re not sure?”
    I laughed but it was a bitter sound. “Don’t like