Knight After Night (13 page)

He sniffed, a loud, almost sensual sound. “You haven’t been here before.”

A statement, one that made Lindsey slide her feet to the side to put more distance between her and the man. Her hip bumped into the line of fencing designed to keep unsuspecting pedestrians from tumbling down the basement stairs.

“Emilie sent me,” she murmured.

“Did she?”

“Are you Harry?”

“So you haven’t met him.” His eyes flicked from her to the stairwell, and for a moment, Lindsey thought he might leap over the railing and grab her.

Lindsey’s fingers tightened on the metal handrail. The stairwell was unlit; stepping into it would be like descending into a well.
But the man
. She couldn’t help but want to get away from him.

Cold beads of sweat ran down the back of her neck.

“Afraid?” His voice seemed closer.

The realization sent Lindsey rushing forward.

Behind her, something hissed. Hot breath raced down her neck. Standing on one leg, her other foot moving forward toward the step below, she teetered. Her body lurched, and she hit the metal steps hard. Pain punctured the balloon of panic that had engulfed her. She tumbled forward, down the stairs.

Then she hit, not the cold hard concrete she’d expected, but the solid warm mass of a body, a male body that scooped her up and held her pressed against his chest.

Struggling to keep the tears that had built up behind her eyes inside, she inhaled and clutched at the man’s clothing. Her face pressed against stiff cotton. She could hear his heart thumping, slow, steady, and more reassuring than any mantra she could have muttered. She concentrated on the steady beat and waited for the panic that had gripped her to subside.

“It appears Emilie was right to call. She said Randall is about. Was he behaving badly?”

A light switched on overhead, and Lindsey squinted against the unexpected glare.

“Oh.” The man holding her exhaled the word, so softly she wasn’t sure she’d heard it correctly. Then he pushed against the door behind him and strode into the bar.

o0o

Trust Me, book one in Vampire Hearts Series, by Lori Devoti available now.