He stiffened but kept moving, coming to stand in front of her. Noting the momentary swell of her pupils at his closeness, he couldn’t help a bite of anticipation.
Kyan raised his palms and dropped his shoulders, feet shifting into a more stable stance. She realised what he was doing. The fact he had put the pad down.
Nicole shook her head softly. ‘Oh, I don’t want to hurt you.’
He knew she had a quietly competitive side and a distrust of authority – with fair reason – if her reaction to him in Estwood was any indication. So, to chase away the bleakness in her gaze, he would need to stoke it.
‘You won’t.’
It stirred then, like flame in those large, lovely eyes.
Her back straightened. ‘Icould.’
A smile flickered on his mouth – the first real one in six months. It dug down into the part of himself he’d long buried. The part that, when he’d found his match, his Nicole, wanted to unearth the long-smothered desires. The almost lost ability to tease, to play.
‘Oh?’ he asked. ‘Show me.’
Nicole
NICOLE HAD AVOIDED KYAN BECAUSEEVERYTHING ABOUThim reminded her of the dark tap of longing in her throat. She wanted to talk to him. She wanted to hunt. And she wasn’t sure how easy it would be to stop herself feelingmoreif he got too close.
And now he was … smirking at her?
The look was so unexpected she was lost for words.
Yes, that was a smirk.
Kyan wasflirting.
Approaching him on the mat felt like permission to touch him. Anticipation danced up her spine. Shewantedto know how strong she was, and having him around to make sure she didn’t hurt herself or anyone else in the process was so … freeing.
But exorcising this energy with him was one more connection, one more way to feel good, to feel close and understood and protected. And she didn’t know what frustrations that might worsen.
But she needed it, even if it was just for an hour, just to burn off this unnerving fug.
‘Have you trained new Empyreals before?’
She’d been trained by her father; knew several fighting techniques and how to use her size and weight. But Kyan …
‘Only a few, honestly. What I learned from my trainer I still remember, despite how long it’s been. But don’t worry,’ he said, a light in his eyes, ‘I’ll go easy on you.’
Her mouth twisted in a smirk. She’d go slow. She wanted to know what she was working with. What he really moved like when he was fighting.
Still, a little thrill went through her as she moved closer.
‘How long have you been feeling the hunting urge?’ Kyan asked.
Energy crackled between them. She wasn’t sure if it was the light, but his eyes seemed to darken.
‘That long,’ he murmured as realisation trickled into them. ‘… You’ve hidden it to protect them.’
‘How can I let them take me somewhere dangerous?’
‘You don’t have to hide it with me.’
Something seared her throat.
He raised his hands and spread them. ‘You won’t hurt me. Come on, now.’
