Page 66 of A Trial By Blood

My abs tightened as she popped the button, hissing as she dragged down the zipper. Azel’s face slammed into my head. I jolted and tried to force it out.

“I’ve imagined touching you like this for so long,” she said and reached for me.

Azel was still there. My erection softened, and my hand snapped out, catching her wrist, stopping her before I knew what I was doing.

She stilled suddenly, and her eyes changed, as if she were looking inward.

“Rose?”

Nothing.

“Rose?” I said louder.

She blinked several times, then she finally turned to me. “I’m being called to something or someone…something to do with my task. I need to let it lead me.” She winced. “I’m so sorry.”

I quickly yanked my pants together, thankful for the call to her task because she hadn’t noticed my reaction. “You don’t need to be sorry. We better go while we have a lead.”

Rose quickly straightened her clothing, and I gave her one of my T-shirts to wear, then helped her into her jacket. I pulled on mine. Then I lifted my block again, to keep us hidden, because we didn’t have time for questions, and I quickly led Rose back out to the car.

CHAPTER 20

Rose

“Turn here,” I said.

I had no idea where we were going, but my instincts were leading me into the city. I glanced over at Ronan. His expression was strained. I couldn’t believe we got interrupted when we did. I wanted to make him feel as good as he’d made me feel.

An image of him lying there, hard and straining, the look in his eyes, god, pleading with me to touch him, wouldn’t leave my mind. I squirmed in my seat and made myself focus on why we were driving around the city instead of still in Ronan’s bed.

He was quiet beside me, and I couldn’t imagine what he was thinking. The feeling, the calling, inside me surged, guiding me. “Take the next left.”

He did as I asked.

There were several restaurants along the street. The feeling grew stronger. “It has to be here somewhere, this is where I’m being called to.” A small restaurant, the paint on the glass was worn and chipped, but the sign above it was freshly painted. Cafe Black Paw. “That’s where we need to go.”

We parked, and I reached for the door handle, but Ronan stopped me. I turned back to him and noted his eyes were a little lighter, making them look brighter and, right then, fierce.

“Are you all right?” He looked almost as wild as he had outside Agatheena’s.

He shook his head. “I may not be a full-blooded vampire, but I’m more like them than I am any human, which means I am extremely territorial. I’ve felt this way about you, Rose, since I met you. I didn’t recognize that’s what I was feeling until those emotions returned, but I know that’s what I was feeling. But after what we did, in my room at the clubhouse. Feeding you, making you…you…”

“Come,” I said.

His gaze sharpened. “After making you come, I’m feeling that side of myself even more than before. So I need you to stick close to me. And if something happens again, like at that witch’s cottage, where you might need to do something alone, we won’t do it. We will find another way. I won’t risk anything happening to you.”

He was already so protective and now even more so? “I’ll be okay—”

“No.” He shook his head. “I need you to promise me, Rose, that you won’t put yourself at risk like that again.”

There was real fear in his eyes, but I didn’t know if it was a promise I could keep. He needed this from me, though, right then, and if it would help him regain some control, I’d tell him whatever he needed to hear, and deal with the consequences later, if they arose. “I can do that,” I said, purposely not actually promising. I sure as hell didn’t want to go anywhere on my own and I didn’t plan on it, but I had no idea what would come next, and I’d do whatever it took to protect my coven.

We got out of the car, and he took my hand as we headed to the restaurant. He pushed the door open, and we stepped inside. As soon as we entered, I knew this establishment wasn’t owned by humans, and the way Ronan stiffened and scanned the room, so did he.

“Shifter,” Ronan said, as if he could read my mind. “Cat.”

I figured as much, but I doubted they were the domesticated house variety, like the five I’d counted lounging around the room. I Black Paws was one of those cat cafes I’d heard about.

There was no reason to think the shifters who owned the place would be any kind of threat, but I had no idea why I’d been drawn here so better to be alert. The place had several full tables and none of the beings sitting at them were human. I didn’t know how I knew that, but I did. “Let’s get a table.”