She almost stuck her hand out and said, My name’s Sofia. Can I have your babies? Whoa! Where had that come from? Feeling vulnerable, all her old mistrust and wariness rushed back, and she quickly turned and walked toward the house. Who this guy was and what he was doing here didn’t matter. She had her own fish to fry.
Jason waited a moment before following the dark-eyed beauty, appreciating her legs and the curve of her behind as she walked away. He also needed the time to recover from the psychic whirlwind that had hit him when they’d looked into each other’s eyes. He’d gotten the impression that beneath the skin, she was a creature of fire. He also knew a caged animal when he saw one. He doubted this mortal woman knew the first thing about her own psychic gifts, or that she’d unconsciously thrown up one of the strongest psychic shields he’d ever encountered.
He wondered who she was and what she was doing here, and supposed he’d have to go inside to find out more.
He joined her as she rang the doorbell. When no one came to the door after a few minutes, she muttered, “Now what?”
There was an ornate brass knocker in the shape of a gargoyle in the center of the heavy wooden door. Jason tried it. No one answered this summons, either.
“Shall we?” he asked. He was prepared to force the door open, but the knob turned easily.
“Isn’t this breaking and entering?” the young woman asked.
“I have an invitation to be here,” he answered. “Don’t you?”
“Yes,” she agreed, not sounding at all happy about it. “All this mystery is so annoying.”
He nodded, and pushed open the door. The gentlemanly thing would have been to stand back and let the lady enter first. But a protective instinct kicked in, and he went into the house ahead of her.
The entrance hall was huge, and deeply in shadows. Even so, he saw the huge werewolves waiting in the corners. Jason turned to slam the door on her, but the mortal had already followed him inside.
“What’s the mat—” she began as the beasts charged forward.
“Get out!” he ordered, and put himself between her and the werewolves.
The beasts snarled and leapt, and Jason took them all on at once. Claws slashed him across the face and teeth sank into his calf, but he was the one left standing when it was done.
When he turned toward the door, the young woman was still there, staring at him. Her back was pressed against the door, her eyes were huge with fear, and she was pale and trembling.
“It’s all right.” He stepped toward her, then turned as someone began to clap behind him. Jason didn’t recognize this old man, but he looked at him in disgust. “Haven’t I already passed this test?”
The old man smiled, though the expression was more of a sneer than anything else. “Who says the test was for you, vampire?”
Primal Heat Page 21