Living Nightmare by Shannon K. Butcher Page B

wouldn’t be able to do it, I forgot to bring money.”
    “Wait. What do you mean, the hard way ?” he asked, even though he knew he probably wasn’t going to like the answer.
    “I mean I had to borrow someone else’s mind for a while so I could learn. You know.”
    “No. I most definitely don’t know anything about borrowing someone else’s mind.”
    Nika turned away, striding toward the vehicles. “You’re not like me, Madoc. That doesn’t mean that I’m wrong, though. I get things done my own way. If you don’t like it, don’t watch.”
    Madoc caught up with her and, despite his better judgment, wrapped his fingers around her arm and pulled her to a stop. She was so delicate, all he’d have to do was tighten his fist and crush her bones, so he paid close attention to the pressure he exerted.
    “You’re not driving back using borrowed knowledge of how to operate a car,” he told her.
    “Watch me.”
    She shouldn’t push him. He knew how close he was to the edge—how fast he could lose control. But she didn’t know. She’d never seen one of his rages. She’d never seen what he could do when provoked. He’d been able to turn all that rage on the Synestryn, but right now, there were none to be found. He was out here alone with Nika with no one to witness a thing.
    His fingers tightened around her arm. His blood was running hot. The dark side of him urged him to show her just how dangerous he could be. Maybe then she’d leave him alone.
    A sharp jab to his chest startled him. She’d poked him with her finger and was scowling up at him. “Stop being a bully. I don’t like it.”
    “What makes you think I care what you like?”
    “I know you. I’ve felt the thing growing inside you. It’s big and it’s ugly, but you’re stronger than it is. You’re a good man.”
    Madoc let out a humorless bark of laughter. He couldn’t help it. “I’m a lot of things, little girl, but there isn’t a single part left of me that’s good.”
    Nika grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him down until he was at eye level with her. He let her do it. He knew better, but the closer she pulled him to her, the more willing he was to let her have her way. He’d let her scream at him all she liked; then he’d put her in his truck and take her home. As long as he didn’t give in to his urge to toss her to the cold ground and fuck her, she was relatively safe.
    But Nika didn’t yell. Instead, before he could figure out what she was going to do, before he could stop her, she pressed her lips to his in a sweet, chaste kiss.
    Desire flared to life, eclipsing everything else. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had kissed him—he always took his whores from behind—but even if he could remember, those memories would have faded to meaninglessness inside this moment.
    Nika’s mouth was soft and warm, her touch so brief and light, it was over before he’d even gotten a real taste of her.
    He wanted more. The darkness inside him rose up, demanding more. She was sweetness and light and he wanted to consume her so that that sweetness was all his, forever.
    He took her head in his hands, holding her still. He was going to give her a real kiss—one that staked a claim and showed her just what she’d gotten herself into. He’d warned her to stay away. Repeatedly. She hadn’t, and this was exactly what she deserved.
    Her soft breath feathered out across his cheek. “I always wondered what that would be like. Thank you.”
    “For what?” he managed to grate out through his clenched jaw.
    “My first kiss.”
    No. Fuck no. He did not just hear that. “First?” It hadn’t even been a real kiss, just a peck.
    He felt her try to nod, but his grip was too tight to let it happen.
    First kiss. Too innocent. Too trusting. He had to let go of her. He couldn’t make her cry like he did in his nightmares.
    It felt like he was stripping off his own skin, but he managed to move his hands away from the softness of