Night Embrace

She took two steps, and ran into a wall.

 

Only it wasn't a wall, she realized, as two arms wrapped around her to keep her from stumbling.

 

Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) Looking up, she froze.

 

Ay, Caramba! She stared into a face so well formed that she doubted even a Greek sculptor could do justice to it.

 

His wheat-colored hair seemed to glow in the night and the planes of his face…

 

Perfect. Simply perfect. Totally symmetrical. Wow.

 

Without thinking, she reached up, grabbed his chin and turned his face to see it from different angles.

 

No, not an optical illusion. No matter the angle, his features were perfection incarnate.

 

Wow, again. Absolutely flawless.

 

She needed to sketch this.

 

No. Oils. Oils would be better.

 

Pastels!

 

"Are you all right?" he asked.

 

"I'm fine," she said. "I'm sorry. I didn't see you standing there. But do you know your face is pure eurythmy?"

 

He gave her a tight-lipped smile as he patted the shoulder of her red cape. "Yes, I do. And do you know, Little Red Riding Hood, the Big Bad Wolf is out tonight and he's hungry?"

 

 

 

What was that?

 

She was talking about art and he…

 

The thought faded as she realized the man wasn't alone.

 

There were four more men and one woman. All insanely beautiful. And all six eyed her as if she were a

 

 

 

tasty morsel.

 

Uh-oh.

 

Her throat went dry.

 

Sunshine took a step back as every sense in her body told her to run.

 

They moved in even closer, penning her between them.

 

"Now, now, Little Red Riding Hood," the first one said. "You don't want to be leaving so soon, do you?"

 

"Um, yes," she said, preparing to fight. Little did they know, a woman who made it her habit to date mean biker types was more than able to deliver a swift kick when she needed it. "I think it would be a reallygood idea."

 

He reached for her.

 

Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com) Out of nowhere a circular something whizzed past her face, grazing his outstretched arm. The man cursed as he pulled his bleeding arm to his chest. The thing ricocheted like Xena's chakram, and returned to the opening of the alley where a shadow caught it.

 

Sunshine gaped at the outline of a man. Dressed all in black, he stood with his legs apart in a warrior's stance while his weapon gleamed wickedly in the dim light.

 

 

 

Even though she could see nothing of his face, his ever-changing aura was mammoth, giving him a

 

presence that was as startling as it was powerful.

 

This new stranger was dangerous.

 

Deadly.

 

 

 

A lethal shadow just waiting to strike.

 

He stood in silence, looking at her attackers, the weapon held nonchalantly, yet somehow threateningly, in his left hand.

 

 

 

Then, total chaos broke out as the men who surrounded her rushed the newcomer…

 

Talon fingered the release for his srad and folded its three blades into a single dagger. He tried to get to the woman, but the Daimons attacked him en masse. Normally, he'd have no trouble whatsoever obliterating them, but Dark-Hunter Code forbade him to reveal his powers to an uninitiated human.

 

 

 

Damn.

 

 

 

For a second, he considered summoning a fog to conceal them, but that would make fighting the Daimons more difficult.

 

No, he couldn't give them any advantage. So long as the woman was here, he was fighting with his hands tied behind his back, and given the superhuman strength and power of the Daimons, that wasn't a good thing at all. No doubt that was why they'd attacked.

 

For once they actually stood a chance against him.

 

 

 

"Run," he ordered the human woman.

 

She started to obey him when one of the Daimons grabbed her. With a kick to the groin and a whack across his back after he doubled over, she dropped the Daimon and ran.

 

 

 

Talon arched a brow at her move. Smooth, very smooth. He'd always appreciated a woman who could watch out for herself.

 

Using his Dark-Hunter powers, he summoned a fog wall behind her to help shield her from the Daimons, who were now more focused on him.

 

Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)

 

 

 

"Finally," he said to the group. "We're all alone.

 

"

 

The one who appeared to be the leader rushed him. Talon used his telekinesis to lift the Daimon up, spin him head over heels, and slam him into a wall.

 

Two more came at him.

 

Talon caught one with his srad dagger, the other he kneed.

 

He tore through the two of them easily enough and was reaching for another one when he noticed the tallest of them running after the woman.

 

 

 

That momentary distraction cost him as another Daimon attacked and caught him in the solar plexus.

 

The

 

force of the blow knocked him back, off his feet.

 

Talon rolled with the punch, and shot upright.

 

"Now!" the female Daimon shouted.