Page 7 of Klaus

“Now, now,” I chided, my lion letting out a low growl in the back of my head at the mocking tone of her voice. “I don’t recall anyone ever referring to a dragon as the king of the jungle. Or of anything.”

“Because we aren’t supposed to exist,” she reminded me with a mocking wink. “If the world knew what truly flew around right above their heads, they’d drop to their knees and worship us the way the ancients worshipped the sun as a deity.”

I burst out laughing in spite of myself, and in spite of the fact that she was having a bit of fun with me. “Humanity would return to the Dark Ages?”

“Darker than that,” she smiled.

“I suppose it’s for the best that your sort are considered nothing but a myth. I happen to have formed quite an attachment to the internet.”

“A good point.”

“And if it weren’t for the Wright brothers and all that came after, we wouldn’t be on our way to Scotland.”

Her smile faded a bit. “That’s also true.”

I told myself it was wrong to think back on the sight of her emerging from the water the day before, all glistening and sexy. Just as it was wrong to wonder to myself what her body would feel like beneath my hands. I’d sported wood so hard it pained me, but the water had mercifully concealed my interest.

There was no water on this jet. Nothing to hide the turn my thoughts had taken. What would she think if she knew how she’d haunted me throughout the rest of the day, not to mention my dreams?

It had been far too long since I’d had a woman. Perhaps Mary had a point when she’d referred to my monastic lifestyle. I had pared things down beautifully. To the point where I owned nearly nothing and cared for no one.

That was fine with me.

Except when a beautiful woman in see-through underwear emerged from the sea and wrung out her waist-length golden red hair, nearly wine-red thanks to the water in it. Except when her skin glistened and gleamed, the droplets of water on her arms reminding me of diamonds in the sun.

When something like that happened, even the strongest man would have to break down and admit there was something to be said for the company of a woman. Even if that sort of company sometimes led to complications.

She was talking.

Damn it, I’d stopped paying attention, too focused on her lips.

“…only my second time on a plane, after all. And I don’t remember much of the first time.”

She had grown tense. It was her turn to dig her fingers into a part of her body, in her case, it was her arm she gripped with the opposite hand.

“You’re adjusting well,” I pointed out in an attempt to ease her nerves.

“Better than you,” she chuckled, her voice a little shaky.

I wouldn’t have allowed anyone else in the world but her to make a joke like that at my expense. Why was it easy for me to let it roll off my back, so long as she delivered it with that smile?

“A fair point,” I whispered, leaning a little closer. “We’ll keep it between us.”

“Your secret’s safe.” She turned away abruptly, suddenly interested in the magazine which rested on her lap.

Just as well. She seemed to have a lot on her mind, and I was in no position to ask what bothered her or whether there was anything I could do about it.

Something told me there was nothing to be done, at any rate.

I looked around, my gaze touching the backs of many heads in front of me. They talked amongst themselves, their voices full of life and anticipation of what awaited them. Thrilled half to death to be returning to the only home they’d ever known.

What was wrong with Ainsley? She was the only one of them, the only one, who didn’t look or sound elated to be on her way.

There was something different about her. Was that why my eyes had always sought her out, even prior to our brief meeting on the beach? Because she wasn’t like the others. The woman could talk the hind end off of a horse, but the bright gaiety in her voice was never present in her eyes. They were always haunted.

I was making things up, and I chided myself for behaving like an old woman. First, acting nervous and shaky all because of a simple flight, then imagining all number of things about a person I didn’t know.

I turned my thoughts to what Dallas, Owen, and Tamhas had told me of the security they wished to put in place in the wake of the kidnapping. It had been more than just a kidnapping, of course.

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