“I did.” An uncharacteristic sense of pride wound through him.
Devon studied his face for a long time. Kohl knew what she was seeing, but it was okay. He had it under control. However, he couldn’t turn it off, or barricade himself from what she was feeling, even if he wanted to. His mixed blood made him so much stronger in some ways, and so much weaker in others.
When it got to be too uncomfortable, he started to turn away, to hide his fangs and his eyes and his crawling skin, more out of habit than anything else, but then he stopped. He was what he was, and it wasn’t anything she hadn’t seen before now.
Reaching up, she touched his face much as she had the night before. Her hand trembled, but her voice was strong. “Thank you for what you did for me.”
“You told me that last night.”
“I’m telling you again.”
He brushed her hair from her face. “You’re welcome.” Then he handed her a napkin.
Devon dried her face and blew her nose. Spotting the wine bottle, she picked it up and took a big swig before speaking again. “Why are you doing this? Making me remember?” Her face twisted in disgust. “Your friends obviously thought I didn’t need to.” She watched him closely for any kind of reaction. “I guess they must have had their reasons. Though I seriously doubt it was out of any concern for me.”
He chuckled at that. “No. That wasn’t the reason.” Then he shrugged. “You were the only human left alive. It’s a safety precaution. One I had to go along with to ensure you stayed that way.”
She froze with the wine halfway to her mouth. “Is my life in danger now? Because I know?”
“Not from my coven. They won’t know you remember unless I tell them, and I sure as hell ain’t about to do that.” He rubbed his eyes with one hand. “I shouldn’t be telling you any of this.”
“Is there more?”
Kohl didn’t respond right away, wishing like hell he could tell her no.
She saw the way he was looking at her and took another large drink of wine. “Just do it. Lay it on me.”
Kohl took a deep breath. “Those guys that shot up the club, they weren’t after the coven. At least not only us. We think they were there for you, Devon.”
She stilled. “How do you know that?”
“Mark, our bouncer that night, found one of them still alive. He compelled him to tell him who they were. The guy told him he was there to kill you, but he died before Mark could find out who sent him.” He put his hand over the center of his chest, trying to contain the ice-cold fear that came from saying it out loud. His and hers combined. “They were after you, Devon. And you need to know this because there might be more coming for you. You’re in danger, and you need to watch out for yourself.”
“Who the hell would be after me?” Her eyes shot back to his. “Parasupe?”
“We don’t think it was them. These guys were amateurs.”
She pushed herself to her feet and walked a few feet away. Arms crossed over her chest, she shook her head. “It doesn’t make sense. Who else would want to kill me?”
Kohl stood as well. “Is there someone you’re close to? A friend? A family member? A—” He couldn’t say it, couldn’t even think she might have a lover. “Anyone else you’re close to that can maybe stay with you during the day? Devon?”
She spun toward him, her anger hitting him square in the chest. “I’m staying under the radar. I’m keeping my head down. I work in a pottery shop and I make deliveries for extra cash, for Christ’s sake. I don’t even own a computer! Who the hell would do this?”
“I don’t know.”
“It doesn’t make any sense.” She started chewing on her thumbnail. Then she shook her head. “No. I think you’re wrong. There’s something else going on. Why would anyone be after me?”
Kohl wished he had an answer for her. But no matter how many times she asked the same question, he just didn’t know.
“And why would they kill all those people, ” she said more to herself than to him. “Just because I was there?” She shook her head, saying again, “It makes no sense.” Tears slid down her already damp cheeks and distance held her eyes. “It was a complete slaughter.”
Kohl didn’t bother to tell her that the vampires who owned the club had probably taken out a few innocents themselves in their quest to take out the shooters. And most likely it had been done on purpose. No witnesses meant no questions. If it had been the Master who had come up and not Hawke, Kohl had no doubt in his mind Devon would not be here with him right now, either.
The beast stirred at that thought, and a pulse of anger shook his bones. It appeared he wasn’t the only one feeling protective of her. But he didn’t have time to consider the implications of this. “Devon, why don’t you stay with me until we figure out what the hell’s going on?” Once the words were out, he couldn’t take them back. The coven would never allow it. But, dammit, he didn’t feel comfortable leaving her alone at her apartment with no one there to watch out for her.
She wiped the moisture from her cheeks. “That’s not necessary, Kohl. And probably the most horrible idea you’ve had so far. But thank you for offering.”
He took her hand. “I can’t just drop you off at your place and leave you there.”
