Page 23 of Kiss the Dawn
“Twenty-five miles.”
“Then maintain speed till we get to the bridge.”
All right, Lorenzo obviously had a plan. I wanted in on it. “Why the bridge?”
“The bridge is the boundary where magic begins to weaken. The pockets begin later.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“The pockets hold areas that don’t house magic, where the supernatural becomes mundane. The fact that these hunters are making themselves known now means that they’re supernatural and are relying on magic to take us down.”
“So, we get to this bridge and then what?”
He smirked. “The bridge is where magic is at its weakest, and even at my weakest, I’m stronger than most. They probably don’t realize how they’ll be affected, though.”
The silver rings around his pale gray irises glowed brightly for a moment, and my pulse lurched in response, because I suddenly had no doubt that although this man came across as cool and collected, the persona was merely a façade to contain the wild forces that raged within him.
I couldn’t wait to watch him unleash.
Chapter 8
The people tailing us kept a respectful distance, and Rodney held our speed. They probably thought they had plenty of time to attack us. My stomach was in knots with a combination of dread and excitement, but Lorenzo was perfectly relaxed. He’d refreshed his coffee and sat sipping it while I tapped the table with my fingertips, on tenterhooks.
“Relax,” he said. “It’ll be over soon. I’ll convince them to back off.”
“And if they refuse to back off?”
“Then I’ll kill them,” he said flatly. “It’ll stop them continuing to pursue us and also send a message to anyone else who comes for you.”
“Have you killed many people?”
“A few.” His eyes narrowed. “You don’t like my plan?”
“No, it’s just…do they deserve to die?”
“They want to kidnap you and blackmail your family, and I doubt they’d have any qualms in hurting you to make the Bloodmeres pay.”
“Which the Bloodmeres won’t because if I’m dead, then…” An awful possibility bloomed in my mind. “What if?—”
“Yes, I did consider that. But the Circle wouldn’t take the risk of killing you now that they know how important you are to the curse holding Loviator at bay.”
I relaxed into my seat. “I wish I’d brought my sword.” It was still a weapon even if I no longer had a blessing to activate the power inside it.
“You won’t need a sword. I’m your weapon.”
Now why was that so damn sexy? I pressed a hand to my chest and drawled, “Be still my heart, because that is afabulouschat up line.”
He chuckled. “Only to a warrior like you, Orina, only to a warrior like you.” He drained his cup and stood. “Bridge is coming up. Stay inside the vehicle, and you’ll be safe. They can’t get in.”
“Then why don’t we just keep driving?”
“Because once we get into the pockets, the wards I have in place will disintegrate.”
The mobile home decelerated as he hurried to the front, and the four-by-four tailing us drove past.
“They’re cutting us off.”
“No matter,” Lorenzo said. “We’re close enough. Letthem think they have us.” He shrugged on his blazer and opened the door. “I won’t be long.”
