Page 45 of Darkness Bound (Night Prowler 5)
Jenna stood. Beside her chair was a bassinette, a cocoon of white silk and ruffles in which she laid Hope beside her sleeping sister, tucking her under the blanket.
“Go to sleep, little one.”
Obediently, Hope closed her eyes. Jenna shook off the eerie feeling that her four-month-old daughter might have understood what she’d said.
She approached Leander, watching him watch her hips sway as she walked. Once in front of him, she reached up and wound her arms around his neck.
“I won’t go too near,” she promised, pressing a soft kiss to the space between his throat and shoulder. She nuzzled his neck as his arms came around her back and he pulled her into a crushing tight hug.
“You won’t go near at all,” he corrected gruffly. “And stop trying to manipulate me with feminine wiles. You’ll just end up getting thoroughly ravished.”
Jenna laughed into Leander’s neck, a low, husky laugh that had him tightening his arms even more around her back.
“And we both know how much I hate that,” she teased.
Leander gently pulled her head back with a hand in her hair, staring intently into her eyes. “No. Just—no, Jenna. I won’t allow this. It’s too dangerous, and we have more to think about than just ourselves.” His burning gaze flicked to the bassinette, then back to her. “They need their mother.” His voice grew soft. “I need their mother. If anything happened to you . . .”
She shushed him with a finger to his lips. “Nothing is going to happen me, love.”
His dark brows drew together to a scowl. “You could easily be seen—”
“I’ll fly high. Too high to be noticed.”
“There’s nothing to be gained—”
“Information is power. We have to know what he’s doing, what he’s planning. That’s best done up close and personal.”
“You just said you wouldn’t go too near!” he all but shouted, tensing.
Jenna sighed, extricated herself from his arms, and went back to gaze down into the bassinette. So small. So fragile. What kind of world will you grow up in, little ones?
A better one than she’d grown up in. Of that she was determined.
“It was a figure of speech. I’ll get in and out as quickly as possible. They won’t even know I’m there—”
“He’ll smell you a mile away! He’ll feel you.”
Yes, that was a problem. The Ikati could all feel her presence, tangible as a kiss on the cheek.
If she was in physical form, that is.
“I’ll go as the west wind.” She turned to find him scowling at her, arms folded across his broad chest, anger rolling off him in waves.
She drew near to him once again, gazing up at him with the slight, coy smile she knew he couldn’t resist. “A sandstorm. A thundercloud.” She spread her hands over his chest. Beneath his pale blue button-down shirt, his heart thudded hard and erratic.
Very angry. Better up the ante.
She leaned in and brushed her mouth against his. Her tongue slid along his lower lip. “I’ll go as the rain.”
“Jenna!” Leander groaned, but in the frustrated plea she detected the first, faint crumbling of his resistance.
“You know I’m the only one who can do this, Leander. And it has to be done. You and the girls go ahead of me to Brazil. I’ll take a quick detour to Morocco, then meet you there. I promise I’ll be in Brazil by the time you arrive.” She unwound his crossed arms and settled them around her waist. Then she went back to nibbling on his lower lip. She breathed, “And I’ll be waiting with bells on.”
“You’re evil,” he protested, crushing her body to his once more.
“But you love me,” she whispered, and kissed him.
They stood there entwined for a long, breathless moment until a politely cleared throat dragged them abruptly back to reality.
