His gaze locked helplessly on Holly.
Once something was dead…
No.
Holly might not be impure, but someone had already tried to kill her once this week. No way was he gonna let her be at risk.
She'd been in the picture, too. Maybe the killer had decided that Holly had been slumming with the demons too much. Maybe she was impure in his twisted head, too.
Maybe he just needed to find the bastard and do some slicing of his own.
She touched his cheek.
Niol nearly flinched.
It wasn't a sexual touch, though, hell, yes, he sure liked those from her. The woman's mouth was the best temptation he'd had in well, years.
"It's okay," she whispered. "They're just flowers."
Even as she said the words, he saw the memory flicker in her eyes. Another night. Another place.
Another rush of his power.
But it hadn't been blackened flowers at their feet.
It had been a man's charred body.
The bastard had been planning to kill Holly. There hadn't been a choice.
Her hand didn't fall away, and he was expecting her to wrench back. But she didn't. The memories were there, the full knowledge of just what he could do.
What he'd done.
"I never thanked you, did I?" She asked quietly. "You and Cara saved my life that night."
And took another. "You don't have to thank me."
"I-I think I do."
"Don't make me into a hero." That he'd never be.
"I won't make that mistake." Did her lips curl just a bit? For a second, he could have sworn that dimple winked at him. "But you're not a hardass villain, either."
Wasn't he? Sometimes, even he wasn't sure. He caught her hand, and, for a moment, held her tight. Then said, "We need to go. If that ass**le is watching us, we're not safe here." There was only one place he'd feel was safe enough for Holly.
His house.
His bed.
She glanced over her shoulder, back up at the monster of a house. "Do we have to go back in there?"
"No." He tugged on her wrist. "I know another way out. Come on." Time to get the hell out of there.
Before their new friend showed up.
They left her car at the party. Niol figured he'd call one of his men later, get 'em to pick it up, drive it around town to throw off any watchers, and then bring it back to his place.
Holly rode with Niol back to his home. When they first climbed into the car, she'd asked, "Where are we heading?"
"My place," had been his growled response.
Her slow smile had nearly stopped his heart, and then she'd whispered, "Good."
Niol didn't make a habit of bringing women into his home. Not his real home, anyway. He had an apartment over Paradise Found that he used for his lovers, but his home, that was different.
Sanctuary.
But he wanted Holly in his realm.
They drove to the outskirts of the city. He'd bought the land years ago, commissioned an architect, and built the house exactly the way he'd planned so long ago.
Years ago…when he'd been a dirt-poor kid all but shoving his nose against the windows of the fancy houses in D.C.
A f**king lifetime ago.
Holly whistled when she saw his house.
He drove past the thick wall surrounding his home, pushing a button to send the electronic gates closing behind him. The house waited down the lane, windows gleaming, lights shining from within.
Not as big as the antebellum, his place was a two-story brick home, with a wraparound balcony and a gleaming swimming pool. It sat on fifteen acres, plenty of privacy. The whole area had been wired for security. Cameras. Guards who knew how to watch, but not be seen. Motion sensors.
They'd be safe here. She would be safe.
"Didn't expect this." Holly's index finger tapped on the glass. "Didn't really take this for your style."
He killed the ignition. "And what is my style?"
Her head turned slowly toward him and she seemed to really think about that. "Dark. Private-"
Niol had to laugh. "This is private, love. Trust me, no one will bother us out here."
"No, that's not what I meant. The windows-" she broke off, shaking her head. There were over fifty windows in the house. He knew, he'd watched each one being installed. "There aren't any shutters, like you want the light to come inside."
You want the light to come inside. Niol stiffened and decided it was time to drop the damn topic of his house. He shoved open his door, then headed around the SUV.
But Holly was already out. "Niol…"
"I brought you here because it's safer. No one will get within five miles of this place without us knowing instantly."
"Good to know."
He bounded up the steps, with her on his heels. "There are guest rooms-" Niol pushed open the door and urged her inside. Once over the threshold, she turned back to look at him with those deep green eyes.
"I won't be using one," she said simply, and reached for the hem of her shirt. She jerked it up and tossed the garment onto the floor.
All the moisture in his mouth disappeared.
"I'll be in your room."
In his bed.
He couldn't take his eyes off her br**sts. Full and tempting. Thrusting against the light pink silk of her bra. Oh, damn. "Love…" He barely managed to punch in the alarm code. "We aren't going to make it to the bed."
Maybe the sofa. Maybe the floor. Or maybe right there against the wall-he was going to take her.
Fuck waiting.
He'd waited long enough. Holly was ready, willing, and his c**k was so hard that the brush of denim against him hurt.
Niol took a step toward her. Her head tipped back.
He took her mouth. Drove his tongue deep and hard into that wet sweetness even as his fingers jerked the hook of her bra free. He threw the silk down and groaned when her tight ni**les stabbed into his chest.
Not good enough.
Niol ripped his mouth away, stared down at her br**sts-
Pink ni**les. Like suck-me candy.
– and then his mouth locked on her left breast. Sucking. Kissing. Licking. Tasting and taking as much as he could.
Her moans filled his ears. The scent of her arousal flooded his nostrils.
And he knew there was so much more to taste.
Her nipple pressed against his tongue, a ripe berry, one that he wanted to savor all night long.
Savor.
Take.
He drew her breast into his mouth. Laved her with his tongue. Her hips rocked against him. Her hands slid down his body and locked onto his hips. Hot hands, hands that seemed to burn him through his clothes.
He licked his way to the other breast. Swirled his tongue over her nipple. Heard her breath catch.