Page 4 of Klaus

“Correct.”

“Does it not occur to you, that I might not wish to come out of the water dressed in nothing but my underwear while you are present on the beach?”

“It did occur to me.” He looked up at the palm trees which hung over his head. “And I’ve given quite a lot of thought to my course of action.”

“What did you finally arrive at?”

He chuckled. “I decided it was only fair to announce my presence. I must admit, I hadn’t thought past that point.”

He had a nice sense of humor. I could see myself getting along well with him, especially since he seemed to be as big a talker as I was. I’d been known as the clan chatterbox since the word “chatterbox” came to be.

“I see. Allow me to remind you that I can’t stay out here indefinitely. My skin is beginning to prune.”

“But you won’t tire out, will you? Don’t bother using that as an excuse.”

I rolled my eyes again. “I wouldn’t dream of insulting your intelligence.” As a lion shifter, he knew what it was like to possess strength worlds greater than the humans we only appeared to be.

“I was just strolling along the beach, wanting to go for a swim of my own.”

“Thank you for that insight into your day.”

“Don’t you want to know why?”

“I have the feeling you’ll tell me no matter what my answer is.”

He laughed again, the sound floating across the water. I told myself he was merely being friendly, which was not exactly something all of Mary’s soldiers—if that was, indeed, what they were—had taken pains to do.

“I’m going to miss this place, is all,” he announced. “It’s beautiful. Paradise.”

My gaze lovingly grazed the beach, the palms, the clear water all about me. “Aye. It does seem that.” I never would’ve imagined feeling this way, having such a change of heart. Not if I lived another thousand years, I was certain.

I was free, however. It was natural that I be able to see the beauty around me for what it was after having been released from the lab. I hadn’t been able to do so right away; the jungle was always there, always reminding me of whatever might be lurking in the deep darkness. Just inside the trees, eyes watching me, waiting until I let my guard down…

And me, with no way to defend myself.

“I can hardly wait to see Scotland.”

I nearly forgot to keep paddling, I was so surprised. “What did you say?” I shouted, certain I’d misheard him.

He sat up, cupping his hands around his mouth. “I said, I can hardly wait to see Scotland.”

So, I was correct. I hadn’t imagined it. And how did it make me feel? I couldn’t say. The ever-present tightness in my chest seemed to be easing. I could breathe more freely. I no longer heard the blood rushing in my ears. Was I finally relaxing?

“You don’t look pleased,” he observed, leaning forward to rest thick forearms over his bent knees. Even in the shade, his longish hair was golden, and his eyes a keen, sharp blue which seemed to penetrate even from a distance.

“I’m neither pleased nor unhappy. I suppose the more help we get in securing the caves, the better.”

“Which is exactly why Mary wants me to go.” The suddenness of his jumping to his feet startled me, no less so than when he removed his shirt.

“What are you doing?” The familiar sound of rushing blood was back, but not for the same reason. I chided myself; so, he had an impressive body, what difference did it make? I’d spent my entire life among bodies just as impressive as his.

Perhaps that was the issue. He was different. He wasn’t one of my kin.

He also wasn’t a dragon. Lion shifters and their ilk were hardly in the same league as Scottish dragons descended from the very first ancient dragons to walk the Earth.

He turned to the side, kicking off his shoes. “I’m tired of postponing my swim, and I refuse to leave St. Lucia without at least one more dip.” His fingers worked the button at the waistband of his shorts.

My cheeks colored in spite of the reassurance from my common sense that it didn’t matter what Klaus looked like. He was trying to scare me away, and I knew it. Did he know how old I truly was? How much I’d seen over the course of a seemingly endless life?

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