Embrace the Night by Crystal Jordan Page B

and had kept up a light stream of conversation she could tell was meant to put her at ease. It didn’t work because she could also tell that, in his own way, he had summed her up and reacted accordingly as quickly as his werewolf agent had. She was being handled. She wasn’t sure which method she liked less, but at the same time, she didn’t feel threatened by either man.
    Perhaps because Merek had given her that one tiny nod to let her know these people were telling her the truth, that she could trust them to look out for her.
    At the same time, she knew she’d feel a lot safer if the detective were with her instead of the agents. She frowned, shook her head to clear it. She didn’t know Merek Kingston any better than she knew these men. Sex was not the same thing as knowing someone. She’d had a lot of sex with Damien, and look where that had ended up.
    The thought made something huge and horrible expand inside her chest. She couldn’t breathe; she wanted to curl up and cry. Damien was dead, Ivan was gone, and her life was over. Her world had been shaken up and tossed out again like dice in a cup. She had no idea what was beyond the next roll.
    â€œThis is just temporary, until we get you transferred somewhere else.” Luca’s gaze met hers, and she guessed she was supposed to feel reassured. She would have if it had been Merek. She pushed that notion away. “Somewhere outside Seattle, but we will keep you safe.”
    Butterflies took wing in her belly, fluttering madly. She hoped that meant another big city. She didn’t want to leave the people and the comforting brightness and energy that swirled around her when she was in a booming metropolis. She dragged in a breath. There was no need to worry about that now. They might ship her to New York or Atlanta or somewhere else just as frenetic.
    â€œI understand. Thank you.” She gave Luca the best smile she could manage. She understood they’d try to keep her safe, but whoever Leonard Smith was, she knew he’d already managed to break into a Conclave-owned apartment building and kill two full-grown vampires. That didn’t say much for her chances, but she didn’t voice that opinion aloud. Tempting fate just seemed like a bad idea at this point.
    She stepped through the doorway from the small living room to the even smaller kitchen. Maybe looking around would make this all seem more real. At the moment, she felt like she was having an out-of-body experience. She was still moving around as if everything were normal, but her mind was floating about a foot above her body, looking down on some dream she wasn’t quite attached to.
    The tile was cracked on the floor, and the faucet dripped steadily into a big, old-fashioned enamel sink. A door on the wall adjacent to the entry she stood in led to what must be a backyard. It was half glass, and it wasn’t until that moment that she noticed every window had the blinds closed so no one could see in. The place was ugly and worn down, but if it was safe, then she didn’t care. She pulled in a calming breath. “Before I leave town there are some things I’m going to need.”
    Peyton spoke for the first time, his voice richer and mellower than she’d have expected. “It’s best if you detach yourself from everything here.”
    â€œTrust me, you want my aunt to know I’m going into protective custody, or she will tear this city and then the rest of the world apart looking for me.” Again, she didn’t need to mention who her aunt was. Millie Standish was a byword in the Magickal community, and not just in Seattle. “Also, I need my familiar with me. I won’t leave her behind.”
    Neither man looked happy, but both of them nodded their agreement. Luca slid his hands into his pockets, his lips twitching ever so slightly. “I suppose I have the dubious honor of letting Mildred Standish know her niece’s life is