Chapter 10

Kyra smiled as she rested her head on Blades chest. Her right ear pressed to his right side, she listened to the slow, strong, steady heart beat. He took slow deep breaths in his sleep and his arm tightened around her waist. He had asked her not to leave again, to not leave his side again like the last time.

A frown pulled at her lips as she thought about it, her eyes focusing on her left hand where it was twined with his on his stomach. She couldn't stay, he didn't want to stop being a dark hunter, hell he couldn't even tell her what he really was. She knew if he couldn't stop then he couldn't keep her. Besides the darkening of the strings of fate on their fingers scared her.

She wasn't exactly a safe person to be around either. Regardless of her feelings for him or the strength she felt coming off him, what if those that wanted her dead came back?

She slowly detangled her limbs from his. He wouldn't wake up this time; she made sure to grab a sedative from Carson's medical kit when she left with Jaden. It would be a while before he woke up anyway. She had more than enough time to sneak out.

This time when she was coming in she paid attention to the lay out. She could feel two of his dark hunter companions laying in wait down stairs. She wasn't sure if it was to keep her here or to send her away for good but she wasn't intending on a confrontation.

Opening the windows to the back yard she checked to make sure it was all clear. She couldn't use most of her powers with the bindings on her neck, wrists and ankles but she could still manipulate the elements. Forcing the air just outside the window to form a more solid bond she stepped out on to it and slowly lowered herself down.

Once on the ground she jumped the fence into the back alley and jogged back to the bar to meet Jaden.

Blade came awake slowly, his head pounded and his eyes felt like they had been rubbed with sand paper. As he sat up hand to head three things hit him. Ethon was in the chair across from the bed, Raden was in the door way, it was well into the evening and the girl was gone again. She had managed to slip out on him again and taken her name with her.

"You look like shit, coffee?" Ethon's voice made the pounding in his head worse but he looked up and reached for the mug anyway.

"How did one slip of a wee girl manage to get past you two?" His voice was a deep rumble from lack of use. Raden shrugged as he looked at him over his own mug of green tea.

"She went out the window." Blade cursed.

"Shit, we're two stories up and I know for damned sure she didn't have a ladder up her skirt! How the hell did she do that? Did she have help?" Ethon shook his head.

"She didn't but right before she disappeared there was a flare of power I'm not familiar with. What I would like to know is how did she get her hands on a drug powerful enough to put you out of it for a full 12 hrs." Ethon stated his voice even and calm but the underline edge to it spoke more of his anger then anything else. Ethon's eyes narrowed as he looked over Blade.

"What I want to know is how did she know you would need a drug that powerful? Your little onna is full of dangerous surprises. Yet she has not taken any opportunity to do damage she could have both times she was in here." Raden's question caused all of them to pause.

"The only way well find answers are to get them out of her. But without knowing who or where she is we are wont get very far." Ethon's voice deepened.

"She's smart enough to wait till dawn to leave so we can't follow her, Jamie tried but she moved too quickly even for him." Blade nodded his agreement. Raden stepped farther into the room.

"Do we tell Acheron? Or any of the others?" Blade snarled to Raden's question.

"Don't tell Acheron, he's busy with the new baby and Nick. Besides if she's a real threat we'll tell him once we have proof. I'm enjoying this game of cat and mouse we have going for now. I'd like to get the answers myself." A cold smirk split Ethon's face as he spoke. Blade's bark of laughter followed and the deep roll of his voice as he answered was tinged with humor.

"The game is a foot then. We'll be ready for her next time." There was a predatory gleam in all of their eyes.