13

The food had been just what Winter needed. She felt better after filling her belly with the burger Logan had brought her. While they’d eaten, she’d asked Logan more about the demons and their ultimate goal.

“World domination?” she echoed.

“Nothing less.” Logan grabbed the paper plates and food scraps and put them in the plastic bag in which he’d brought the food. He tied a knot in the top, then walked to the bathroom.

She heard him place the trash in the bin, then wash his hands.

She rose and walked toward the open door to the bathroom. “And you and your fellow Stealth Guardians have been fighting them for centuries without success? When you fought against those four, you held your own. I can’t believe that you can’t defeat them. You’re so strong.”

Logan dried his hands. Their eyes met in the mirror. “They’re just as strong.”

“But you can make yourself invisible and walk through solid objects. In a fight, that gives you an advantage.”

“That’s true, but there just aren’t enough of us. There are too many demons. And their numbers are growing by the minute.”

She made a face. “You mean they can reproduce?” That thought made her feel sick to her stomach.

“Not in the traditional sense, although we’re not even sure about that. No, their numbers grow because whenever they turn a human to their evil ways, whenever they make a human commit an atrocity in their name, the human turns into a demon, their soul lost forever. That’s how they grow their ranks. There’s so much evil in this world, so much anger, so much division, even just in our own country. Add to that the wars all over the world, and you’ve got a perfect breeding ground from which to draw your next demon.”

She stared at him wide-eyed. “A never-ending supply.”

Logan walked out of the bathroom, and she stepped aside. She followed him as he leaned his butt against the table and gave her a sad smile. “It’s a never-ending battle.”

“How do you not lose hope in the face of such overwhelming evil?”

He shrugged. “I take one day at a time. Kill one demon at a time. That’s all I can do.”

She shook her head and moved closer to him. “And now you have to take care of me.” She sighed. “I’m sorry.”

She took his hand and squeezed it. He stared at her in silent surprise. What she’d meant as a gesture of comfort suddenly felt different. Logan’s eyes turned molten, and she lost herself in them. Such beauty, such power. Winter lifted her hand and ran her knuckles over his cheek, feeling a shiver go through her at the touch. It felt as if electricity was charging through her. Not realizing what she was doing, she drew closer to him. Logan’s lips were slightly parted and looked more tempting than anything she’d ever seen. She took a breath and leaned in.

But he suddenly shifted, moving away from her.

Startled, she gasped and tried to turn away from him, but he snatched her arm.

“It’s best if you don’t kiss me.”

Heat shot into her cheeks. Had she really just lost her mind and tried to offer him her lips? She tried to step back, embarrassment rushing through her, but he didn’t let go of her arm. She snapped her gaze back to his face. To her surprise, she saw regret in his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“No, don’t be,” he said in an even voice. “I would welcome your touch. I would have kissed you back. But there can’t be anything sexual between you and me.”

He would have kissed her back? So he’d felt the attraction between them, too? Then why did he have scruples? Or wasn’t it that at all? What if the reason wasn’t because he didn’t want to have sex with her but because he couldn’t? Physically couldn’t. That thought made her suck in a breath of air and pause. Yes, that had to be it. “Oh.” She swallowed hard and lowered her eyes. “I didn’t realize. I thought because you look so human that… you know… you’d have all the same… uh, parts.” She cleared her throat. “I didn’t mean to—”

“Parts?” Logan interrupted, his voice raised.

“Uh…” Was he going to make her say it? Oh God, how embarrassing. She made a motion in the general direction of his groin, then averted her eyes quickly. “You know…”

“You think I don’t have the right equipment?”

Winter coughed nervously. “Please, I’m sorry I made an assumption. I’m sorry I tried to, uh… Can we please drop the subject?”

“No, we can’t.”

She looked back up at him. There was a struggle going on inside him, a struggle that reflected on his face.

“You don’t understand,” Logan said. “It’s my fault. I probably sent you the wrong signals. I’m not immune to you. I’m attracted to you. But you’re my charge. My responsibility. It doesn’t matter what I want, because I won’t give into my needs. I can’t do that.” He released her arm. “I won’t take advantage of a woman in my care. It’s not right. You’re vulnerable. Impressionable. You probably think you owe me something. You don’t. But I need your help to resist the temptation. Please don’t try to kiss me again. It will only lead to one thing.” He motioned to the bed. “Knowing that we’ll sleep in the same room tonight is going to be temptation enough. I might be an immortal warrior, but I’m also a man.” He let out a weak laugh. “With all the right parts.”

Winter gaped at him. He was attracted to her. And despite being different species, they were compatible. And his objection was that he thought he was taking advantage of her? That couldn’t possibly be it.

“So let me get this straight. You find me reasonably attractive,” she started.

“Not just reasonably.”

She registered his comment with satisfaction. “And you have all the right parts.” She glanced at his groin. “And I’m assuming they work?”

Logan growled. “They work just fine,” he pressed out through clenched teeth.

“But you think you’re taking advantage of me, if you sleep with me.” She rolled her eyes. “Men! No wonder I don’t date much. They’re just too complicated.”

“You’re calling me complicated?”

“No, you”—she drove her index finger into his chest—“I call boneheaded.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Care to explain why I deserve such harsh criticism?”

“You still don’t get it, do you? I could die tomorrow. Hell, we could both die tomorrow. The demons could catch up with us and murder us in our sleep for all I know. And you’re concerned about taking advantage of me, when I’m the one making a pass at you?” She shook her head and turned away. “Honestly! If you’re trying to spare my feelings, because you’re not actually interested—”

A firm hand on her shoulder spun her back around to face him. Suddenly both his hands were on her, gripping her shoulders. “I’m interested.”

He pulled her to him, his hands sliding down her back until they came to lay on her behind. He pressed her against his groin, where she felt hardness rub against her soft stomach. Her breath hitched.

“Is that proof enough of my interest?”

Winter snapped her gaze to him. He didn’t look angry anymore, nor had his voice sounded annoyed. Instead he had a smirk on his face. Stunned, she froze.

“Well, now, look at that. Suddenly the little seductress isn’t quite so brave anymore, is she? Are you gonna back away now that you know I’ll take you up on your offer if you make it again? I hope that’s a warning to you. Don’t play games with me.”

She felt him loosen his grip and shove her back, but before he could release her, she put her hands on his biceps and held tight. “I wasn’t asking for a warning. And I don’t play games.”

“Goddamn it,” Logan ground out, but dipped his head toward her nevertheless. “This is a mistake.”

“But one I’m going to enjoy,” she murmured. “And I don’t need to be a psychic to know that.”

“Winter?”

“Hmm?”

“Stop talking.”

“Then start kissing me already.”

A second later, she felt Logan’s lips on hers, pressing gently, flooding her with warmth and the knowledge that for a short while she would be able to forget everything that had happened in the last hours.