Night of the Tiger(68)

Roric wisely kept his mouth shut.

Aimee narrowed her gaze and nibbled on her bottom lip. “They know the carousel is a temptation you can’t ignore.”

“And still you will go with me?”

Aimee shrugged. “It’s crazy, but I don’t think we have much choice. It’s better than sitting around here waiting for them to attack.”

Roric agreed. The warrior in him wanted to go on the offensive, to take the fight to the enemy. But the man in him, and the beast, wanted to protect Aimee. “You could stay here…” He trailed off as she shot him a look that wasn’t pleasant. His Aimee had a core of steel within her.

“I repeat—do I look stupid? Everyone knows that if the woman stays behind the bad guys attack and kill her. That’s a given in any bad horror flick. And that’s what my life has become.”

She must have seen his quizzical expression because she gave a frustrated huff. “You know, movies. Made-up stories with actors shown at the local cinema or on television?”

He nodded, even though he wasn’t quite certain what she was referring to. He’d heard of television, but he’d never seen one. He understood the concept of movies. They were much like a play except the people weren’t really in the room to perform. It was quite fascinating actually. He was suddenly filled with the need to experience one of these movies with Aimee.

She stalked toward him. Stopping in front of him, she poked him in the breastbone. “The best chance I have of living through this nightmare is to stay by your side. There’s safety in numbers.”

Roric could hear the fear beneath the bravado. His heart clenched. His chest ached. He made a vow to himself that he would somehow get Aimee out of this alive. No matter what it took.

He captured her index finger, which was currently trying to drill a hole in him. “We will stay together.” He turned her hand so that their palms were touching. Their fingers twined together. It was a bond and a promise.

“Okay then.”

“When this is over, you’ll have to tell me more about these bad horror movies and why you watch them,” he teased, trying to lighten the mood.

“Better yet, I’ll show you some. I think you’ll like them.” Aimee grinned, her eyes twinkling with mischief. For a moment, the worry was driven from her eyes. “It’s a date,” she promised.

Roric tightened his fingers around hers. He searched his mind for the meaning of the word. It was a social engagement between a man and a woman. He’d never actually done anything like that before. In times gone by, if he wanted a woman he simply crooked his finger and she came. He was a warrior of a goddess, and all women had been pleased by his sexual attention. And that was all it had been. He’d never had the time or inclination for anything more.

Now he found he was intrigued by the idea of spending time with Aimee. A date. He wanted it badly, but knew he’d probably never be able to have it. Another grievance to set at Hades’ door. Still, he nodded in agreement. “A date.”





Chapter Fifteen

“Whose brilliant idea was it to come this way?” Aimee scooted forward on her belly, ignoring the chill of the ground as it seeped through the legs of her jeans. Her brown wool jacket was covered in dirt and twigs and God only knew what else. She was trying not to think about bugs. It was such a girly thing to worry about, but she couldn’t stop thinking about it. She’d rather face a demon than a spider any day.

“Shhh,” Roric admonished as he shifted closer, his body not making a sound as he moved. She wished she could be half as quiet as him. He seemed to glide through the undergrowth, a gift from his inner tiger, no doubt.

“It was yours, if I remember correctly,” he whispered. He was so close she could feel his breath against her ear.

It hadn’t taken them long to get here, that is once Roric had let her leave the yard. He’d been fascinated by her car. It was an ancient, beat-up silver Volkswagen Beetle that had seen better days, but she liked it. He’d wanted to know what every instrument did and had played with all the buttons like a little kid. The sense of wonder on his face had made her heart turn over.

It brought home to her once again just how long he’d been trapped in the prison of his own body. He’d been able to absorb information from the world around him, but knowing something and seeing it were two different things. She’d insisted on giving him a brief driving lesson, just in case they had to make a quick getaway and, for whatever reason, she couldn’t drive.

They’d jolted around the yard as he tested the gas and then slammed on the brakes. He’d almost sent them into a ditch, but managed to swerve away at the last second. Aimee had given silent thanks that her car was an automatic. She couldn’t imagine trying to teach him to use a standard on such short notice.