“Dealt as in sent them back, or dealt as in made another arrangement?”
“The last thing I need is to be making any sort of deal with a demon. That is a dangerous path to step onto for one such as me.”
“Because of who your dad was?”
He was closer again, and though I saw the movement this time, it was a blink and miss it moment. The man was a smooth operator in more ways than one.
“Yes.”
“You’re not your father, though.”
“No, but hisKidoes run through my blood. I cannot risk bringing it forth.”
I frowned. “Your father’sKican’t run through your blood, because it’s the body’s soul and?—”
Something flickered through his eyes. Wariness, perhaps. “Obviously, I meant the darkness—madness?—that likely runs through our line, and I do not wish in any way to invite that inheritance into my own life. It’s why I will never have kids.”
Whilethatwas a perfectly logical and believable statement, I had the strongest feeling that he had indeed meantKi. Which was utterly impossible, of course, because two souls could not live in one body—it was an indisputable fact, one proven repeatedly throughout history.
So, if not hisKi, per se, what then? His magic? Or something else? Was his father really even dead? Perhaps before I dated the man—or indeed even had sex with him—I needed to do a deeper dive into his past.
“Is that why your life force is so very locked down?” I asked. “Because you’re afraid that the slightest loosening of restraints would cause a similar descent as your father?”
He slid closer again, coming within touching distance. And I wanted to touch. Very,verybadly.
“It is not the descent into darkness I fear, because I walk those shores every day.”
“Then why are you locked down so tightly?”
“Because while my father is dead, his evil still haunts me?—”
“Literally?” I cut in.
“No. But enough of him.” He reached out and gently brushed the hair away from my cheek. “May I kiss you, Hanna Kang?”
Hell yes, please do. I softly cleared my throat and said, “We are not dating, and this mission is not over.”
“Consider it a taster for what is to come when we do date.”
I arched an eyebrow and did my best to ignore hormones that were absolutely begging me to just get on with it. “I feel obliged to warn you I have not dated or even properly kissed a man for a very long time, and I’m totally out of practice.”
“Kissing is like bike riding. Once you get on with it, it comes back naturally.”
My smile grew. “I haven’t ridden a bike for a very long time either.”
Shock ran through his expression, but his eyes danced. “What is wrong with the men in Canberra?”
“I think it would be fairer to ask, ‘What is wrong with me?’”
“Nothing is wrong with you. You are perfect.”
“A worthless opinion, given you know next to nothing about me.”
“Which is why we must date, so I can solve the puzzle you present.”
I arched an eyebrow. “What about the puzzle you present?”
“I am what you see; nothing more, nothing less.”
