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The manarei screamed again. It was close, so close, to getting free.
She grabbed Trina’s hand, squeezing hard as she slapped her face. Trina’s eyes flickered open and, in that instant, energy surged between them, as fierce as the answering rumble from the ground. It was a rumble that became a roar so powerful the entire house began to shake and sway. Earthquake, she thought, and knew it wouldn’t save them. Not unless the earth itself opened up and swallowed the creature whole …
She closed her eyes. Doyle’s image swam before her, his blue eyes rich with warmth and caring—something she would not now have the chance to explore. And for that, I’m sorry …
The rumble died away. A door slammed open to her right, and footsteps approached. She sensed, rather than saw, that it was Doyle. But he stopped just beyond the room and, for several seconds, there was only silence.
Then he said, “Kirby, are you hurt?”
Relief swept through her, so intense it snatched her voice away. He was okay, and so was she.
“Damn it, answer me. Are you hurt?”
His voice was sharp with anger and concern, but right then, she’d never heard a sweeter sound. She shook her head, but even that small movement sent the madmen in her head into overdrive.
“The manarei,” she ground out. “What happened to it?”
“If there’s any sort of justice in this world, it’s halfway to hell by now.”
There was amusement in his voice, but why? She forced her eyes open and saw the reason. Half the room had been destroyed, and where the manarei had been standing there was a gaping, jagged hole. The earth really had opened up and swallowed the creature whole. Trina’s doing. Thank God she’d managed to keep her conscious!
“Camille?” Doyle said. “I need your help in here.”
Boot heels echoed across the floorboards. Doyle knelt beside her, something she felt rather than saw. Her vision was still blurry, and the pounding ache in her head was so bad she felt like throwing up.
“I thought I told you to stay in the car,” he chided softly. Warmth brushed across her cheek as he thumbed away a tear.
“I thought I told you to call for help if you ran into a manarei.”
His smile shimmered through her. He touched her hand, fingers twining around hers. “Touché. Are you able to move? We really have to get out of this house in case the rest of the place falls down.”
She nodded carefully. Given the intensity of the quake that had shaken this place, there would no doubt be cops and ambulances on the way. The last thing she needed right now was another three-hour session with disbelieving police officers. “What about Trina?”
“We take her with us,” Camille said from the doorway. “She’s unconscious, so I’ll splint her arm once we’re safe.”
Doyle grunted. “Don’t suppose you’ve got anything in your magic box to cure a psi-blinding headache?”
Psi-blinding headache? There was a technical term for this sort of pain?
“Not on me, no.” Camille said, her sharp voice close. “I have something back at the office, if you want to follow us.”
“Is that safe with the murderer still on the loose?” Doubt echoed through his soft tones.
“Got no other choice. We can’t exactly take either of them to the hospital right now, can we?”
“No.”
“Then just make sure neither of us is tailed.”
Doyle picked Kirby up and cradled her close. This time, she simply enjoyed the warmth of his arms around her, the tight sense of security that ached through her heart. She blinked against the day’s sudden brightness, her eyes watering again. She swiped a hand across her eyes, but her vision was still blurred. His face was little more than a wash of skin and dark hair. But she didn’t need to see him when his arms were wrapped so tightly around her, and his scent—a rich mix of muskiness, pine and masculinity—tingled across her senses and warmed her deep inside.
“Have I ever mentioned the fact you smell nice?” She leaned her head against his chest and listened to the rapid pounding of his heart. It was a rhythm matched by her own.
His laugh rumbled through her. “No, I don’t believe you have. And this is a rather strange time to mention it.”
“Hey, I might not get the chance to say it later.”
His arms tightened briefly. “You’ll have as much time as you want. I’ll make sure of it.”
